GUBER ELECTIONS: Party chairmen blame security agents for violence, rigging in Bayelsa, Kogi

At least chairmen of 62 political parties that took part in the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi on Monday indicted the security agents and politicians over violence and electoral irregularities that marred the process.

The party chairmen who came together under the aegis of Forum of Chairmen of Nigerian Political Parties had at a meeting attended by over 60 members of the forum including Hon. Perry Opara (National Unity Party), Alhaji Adamu Takai (Advanced Congress of Democrats) and Barr. Kenneth Udeze (Action Alliance), among others, called for the urgent conclusion of the Electoral Act amendment, electronic transmission of results straight from the polling units and electronic accreditation of voters.

However, the forum absolved the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of wrongdoing after a review of the conduct of the elections in the two states.

The party chairmen after reviewing the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections concluded that the election was a serious dent on the nation’s democracy.

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Reading a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held in Abuja, the AA chairman said despite the reported cases of violence, especially in Kogi State, the police never made an arrest to serve as a deterrent to others.

Udeze, who noted that despite the deployment of thousands of security personnel for the elections, thugs had a field day particularly in Kogi State where their activities played a major role in determining who eventually won the election.

He said: “The failure of the elections was not caused by administrative lapses or inefficiency of the INEC, but by the treasonable actions of security agencies (Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police) who compromised the process and aided political thugs to disrupt the entire process and cart away electoral materials.

“The collation centres were made inaccessible to duly accredited observers and agents of other political parties except those that were allowed by the thugs; while over 35,000 policemen watched helplessly and haplessly.”

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