March 28, 2010
{joomplu:1846}{joomplu:1852}{joomplu:1814}Members of the civil society in Lagos led by Comrade Uzo Nwaogbe,-Director, Make Your Vote Count, Lagos, Dr.Joe Okei-Odumakin-President Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Wale Balogun-Secretary General, United Action for Democracy and Ms Vera Okei, Secretary-Women Arise today rallied against Maurice Iwu, the discredited chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos, the rallies are organized by Make Your Vote Count and it is expected to continue across Nigeria.
{joomplu:1846}{joomplu:1852}{joomplu:1814}Members of the civil society in Lagos led by Comrade Uzo Nwaogbe,-Director, Make Your Vote Count, Lagos, Dr.Joe Okei-Odumakin-President Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Wale Balogun-Secretary General, United Action for Democracy and Ms Vera Okei, Secretary-Women Arise today rallied against Maurice Iwu, the discredited chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos, the rallies are organized by Make Your Vote Count and it is expected to continue across Nigeria.
Members of civil societies and concerned Nigerians has called on the Federal government to terminate the appointment of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC),Chairman,Prof Maurice Iwu in Lagos today(29 March, 2010) for the survival of democracy and good governance in Nigeria.
The peaceful rally was organised by Campaign for Democracy(CD),Make Your Vote Count, United Action for Democracy(UAD),Women Arise and other Civil society organisations started from Adekunle bus stop along Herbert Maucaulay way,Sabo-Yaba and moved to Birrel Avenue,Lagos State INEC office.
Lagos State Director,Make Your Vote Count,Comrade Uzo Nwaogbe stated that the essence of the rally called by the coalition of civil societies was to inform Nigerians that Iwu's time is up and could no longer be trusted by majority of Nigerians to conduct free and fair elections.
Nwaogbe further asserted that the rallies also took place in major cities like Abuja,Port Harcourt,Kano,Kaduna and Benin City.
'We are tired of fraudulent elections in Nigeria,we only had selection not election,people get to power via fraud not transparency and we say enough is enough.we therefore demand for election that will produce credible leaders and enthrone people-oriented democracy,the main reason why Prof Iwu must go now.'
President Campaign for Democracy,Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin in her remarks affirmed that INEC boss is a big threat to democracy in Nigeria and all Nigerians from all walks of life must demand for his exit as urgent as possible.
'No matter how one fries a rotten fish,it will still not be edible.Iwu's INEC is rotten and stinks to high heavens.He has not organised a free and fair election since his appointment.Anambra election was nothing to talk about,lots of voters were disenfranchised and during the Ekiti State election,many people were robbed and raped and several ballot boxes were stuffed with already thumb-printed ballot papers.Prof Iwu as an individual in an embodiment of fraud and dishonesty and his urgent exit will usher in a credible electoral system and enthrone good governance.'
Okei-Odumakin further stressed that Prof Iwu should be an impartial arbiter ,independent and transparent and in as much as we clamour for the passage of electoral reform bill and while waiting for Iwu to implement such bill is like waiting for calendar pictures to shed tears which is practically impossible.we now call on holistic electoral reform and demand for immediate sack of Prof Iwu as INEC Boss since he has become a threat to civil societies and good governance in Nigeria.'
Mr Nelson Ekujimi,Lagos State UAD Chairman went down the memory lane by quoting the legendary human rights icon,Chief Gani Fawehinmi that for Prof Maurice Iwu to still remain as INEC Boss is like patiently waiting for volcanic eruption to take place before our very eyes.
'For the nation's ship not to sink,we must demand for the sack of Maurice Iwu now,our votes must count and enough of electoral fraud and massive rigging for our country to move forward.'
Comrade Wale Balogun, UAD Sec-Gen in his own closing remark explained that all Nigerians must join hands and demand for Iwu's sack before the next election.
'It is still a shame that Prof Iwu is still holding on to his position,he is supposed to be in the dock for series of electoral fraud committed under his INEC leadership,as long as INEC is recruiting new people to join the organisation while still retaining Professor Maurice Iwu as top Boss,all the new employees will all have their names tainted and credibility in tatters unless they themselves demand for the sack of their top boss.'
The organisers however expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force for their conduct in controlling the protesters which clearly shows that they are also part of the civil societies demanding for transformation and positive change in Nigeria.
Press Statement: Iwu Must Go Protests Across Nigeria
The call for the removal of Mr. Maurice Iwu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will spread to two more cities in the country as Make your votes count (MYVC), plans to hold protests simultaneously at INEC offices in Port-Harcourt and Lagos on Monday, March 29.
Chido Onumah, coordinator, MYVC, said his group was undeterred by rallies and provocation by pro-Iwu elements. “Our protest is generating a lot of interest and passion and we have the courage of our conviction,” Mr Onumah said, “we shall continue this indefinitely until we achieve our aim.”
In the last one week, MYVC has staged a daily two-hour protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. The group says it will work with other civil society groups to moblise Nigerians to boycott the 2011 general elections if Mr. Maurice Iwu, is not removed from office.
The Iwu-Must-Go protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja enters its sixth day on Monday, March 29, with representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) joining the protesters in a show of solidarity. Emma Ogbuaja, spokesman of the NLC, said the solidarity visit will also be an opportunity to highlight the labour-led protest against Mr. Iwu scheduled for March 31.
MYVC will join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alliance for Credible Election (ACE), the Civil Society Coordinating Committee on Electoral Reform (CSCC) and other civil society groups in a protest on Wednesday, March 31, calling for electoral reforms and the removal of Mr. Iwu. The protest will start at Labour House, proceed to INEC headquarters and terminate at the National Assembly.{joomplu:1852}{joomplu:1850}{joomplu:1850}{joomplu:1848}
Members of civil societies and concerned Nigerians has called on the Federal government to terminate the appointment of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC),Chairman,Prof Maurice Iwu in Lagos today(29 March, 2010) for the survival of democracy and good governance in Nigeria.
The peaceful rally was organised by Campaign for Democracy(CD),Make Your Vote Count, United Action for Democracy(UAD),Women Arise and other Civil society organisations started from Adekunle bus stop along Herbert Maucaulay way,Sabo-Yaba and moved to Birrel Avenue,Lagos State INEC office.
Lagos State Director,Make Your Vote Count,Comrade Uzo Nwaogbe stated that the essence of the rally called by the coalition of civil societies was to inform Nigerians that Iwu's time is up and could no longer be trusted by majority of Nigerians to conduct free and fair elections.
Nwaogbe further asserted that the rallies also took place in major cities like Abuja,Port Harcourt,Kano,Kaduna and Benin City.
'We are tired of fraudulent elections in Nigeria,we only had selection not election,people get to power via fraud not transparency and we say enough is enough.we therefore demand for election that will produce credible leaders and enthrone people-oriented democracy,the main reason why Prof Iwu must go now.'
President Campaign for Democracy,Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin in her remarks affirmed that INEC boss is a big threat to democracy in Nigeria and all Nigerians from all walks of life must demand for his exit as urgent as possible.
'No matter how one fries a rotten fish,it will still not be edible.Iwu's INEC is rotten and stinks to high heavens.He has not organised a free and fair election since his appointment.Anambra election was nothing to talk about,lots of voters were disenfranchised and during the Ekiti State election,many people were robbed and raped and several ballot boxes were stuffed with already thumb-printed ballot papers.Prof Iwu as an individual in an embodiment of fraud and dishonesty and his urgent exit will usher in a credible electoral system and enthrone good governance.'
Okei-Odumakin further stressed that Prof Iwu should be an impartial arbiter ,independent and transparent and in as much as we clamour for the passage of electoral reform bill and while waiting for Iwu to implement such bill is like waiting for calendar pictures to shed tears which is practically impossible.we now call on holistic electoral reform and demand for immediate sack of Prof Iwu as INEC Boss since he has become a threat to civil societies and good governance in Nigeria.'
Mr Nelson Ekujimi,Lagos State UAD Chairman went down the memory lane by quoting the legendary human rights icon,Chief Gani Fawehinmi that for Prof Maurice Iwu to still remain as INEC Boss is like patiently waiting for volcanic eruption to take place before our very eyes.
'For the nation's ship not to sink,we must demand for the sack of Maurice Iwu now,our votes must count and enough of electoral fraud and massive rigging for our country to move forward.'
Comrade Wale Balogun, UAD Sec-Gen in his own closing remark explained that all Nigerians must join hands and demand for Iwu's sack before the next election.
'It is still a shame that Prof Iwu is still holding on to his position,he is supposed to be in the dock for series of electoral fraud committed under his INEC leadership,as long as INEC is recruiting new people to join the organisation while still retaining Professor Maurice Iwu as top Boss,all the new employees will all have their names tainted and credibility in tatters unless they themselves demand for the sack of their top boss.'
The organisers however expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force for their conduct in controlling the protesters which clearly shows that they are also part of the civil societies demanding for transformation and positive change in Nigeria.
Press Statement: Iwu Must Go Protests Across Nigeria
The call for the removal of Mr. Maurice Iwu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will spread to two more cities in the country as Make your votes count (MYVC), plans to hold protests simultaneously at INEC offices in Port-Harcourt and Lagos on Monday, March 29.
Chido Onumah, coordinator, MYVC, said his group was undeterred by rallies and provocation by pro-Iwu elements. “Our protest is generating a lot of interest and passion and we have the courage of our conviction,” Mr Onumah said, “we shall continue this indefinitely until we achieve our aim.”
In the last one week, MYVC has staged a daily two-hour protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. The group says it will work with other civil society groups to moblise Nigerians to boycott the 2011 general elections if Mr. Maurice Iwu, is not removed from office.
The Iwu-Must-Go protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja enters its sixth day on Monday, March 29, with representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) joining the protesters in a show of solidarity. Emma Ogbuaja, spokesman of the NLC, said the solidarity visit will also be an opportunity to highlight the labour-led protest against Mr. Iwu scheduled for March 31.
MYVC will join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alliance for Credible Election (ACE), the Civil Society Coordinating Committee on Electoral Reform (CSCC) and other civil society groups in a protest on Wednesday, March 31, calling for electoral reforms and the removal of Mr. Iwu. The protest will start at Labour House, proceed to INEC headquarters and terminate at the National Assembly.{joomplu:1852}{joomplu:1850}{joomplu:1850}{joomplu:1848}
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