In what appears to be renewed agitation over the conduct of the February 25 Presidential Election across the country, the Civil Liberties Organization, CLO has lashed out at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, saying the exercise was marred by many flaws.
The February 25th presidential and National Assembly elections have generated unprecedented condemnation and rejection over alleged rigging of the election by INEC officials in collaboration with politicians.
Many participants in the election have also headed to the courts to challenge the outcome of the election which they said only lends credence to the saying that those who cast the votes does nothing, but those who count the votes does everything.
Speaking with newsmen in Onitsha over the weekend, the Chairman of the CO in Anambra State, Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme said the legitimacy of every government must come from people’s votes, saying the INEC must reject any process that undermines the power of the people to elect their leaders.
According to him, the electoral umpire must ensure in words and actions that peoples vote count.
“This in tandem with wise postulation of Mr. Peter Obi that those who wants to be called His excellency, must ensure that the process that brought them in to power is excellent and transparent.
“The INEC should probe systematic and scientific disenfranchisement of people of southeast, especially Anambra state during Presidential and National Assembly elections in which voting started between 1pm to 3pm,” he said.
Ezekwueme maintained that it is detestable and condemnable that nearly fifty percent of voters did not vote because the INEC officials deceived them that any vote cast beyond 6pm will not be uploaded on the INEC server.
“INEC must learn to be impartial, unbiased, without blemish and above aboard in discharge of their constitutional duties.
“The outcome of last presidential election if not transparently, patriotically and holistically resolved through justice and truth may lead to unprecedented voter apathy, indifference and undernourishment of our democracy,” he said.
The CLO boss insisted that to restore and rekindle the people’s faith, hope, trust and confidence in the electoral process, INEC should take the lead by ensuring that peoples vote count and that the outcome of every election reflects the wishes and aspirations of majority of the electorate.
He noted; “In the course of our relentless efforts to mobilize, educate and sensitize citizenry to participate in governorship and House of Assembly elections, one pathetic question begging for answer by citizens is ‘why do they waste people’s time and money for elections, yet they will announce their preferred candidates as winners?
“INEC, NOA, CSOs and stakeholders should without delay, swing into action and convince the citizenry to take active part in the subsequent elections.
“The electoral umpire should also guarantee credible, free, fair and generally acceptable elections that must meet international standard.”
