TMG Charges INEC Against Fielding ‘Indicted Officials’ In Bauchi Supplementary Polls

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to allow officials ‘indicted’ in the governorship and house of assembly elections to participate in the supplementary poll.

INEC has slated Saturday, March 23, 2019 for supplementary elections six states including Bauchi.

The TMG in a statement on Friday in Abuja by Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, its chairperson, noted that obvious issues and documented irregularities observed during the last governorship elections and the criticisms that followed across the country, should spur the INEC to do better.

“INEC must ensure that the mistakes inherent in the earlier conducted governorship elections in the affected states are not repeated as we also call on all political parties to refrain from any actions that will further overheat the polity or jeopardize the exercise. “The only way to preclude electoral irregularities is for all stakeholders to synergize and together keep an eye of the entire process,” the statement read.

The TMG also called on security agencies, particularly the police, to be responsible and show loyalty to the people; “therefore, they must conduct themselves in a manner that will not in any way compromise the sanctity of the elections. As people, we must understand that nothing can be achieved in an atmosphere of violence and lawlessness; we must all work together to prevent any future violence.”

Akiyode-Afolabi, challenged both the INEC and the police to “ensure that all indicted or arrested electoral offenders in the last exercise are brought to justice to ensure deterrence.”

It further stated that; That its personnel indicted of any wrongdoing in the last elections are not included in the supplementary elections

“That materials are delivered on time to the affected Polling Units

“That Voters are accredited and allowed to vote on time with due regards to the allotted start-time of voting

“That voters with genuine Permanent Voter Card (PVC) are not denied in the process,” and wants no “willful disenfranchisement of duly registered Voters.”