Pro-Democracy Group Asks INEC To Cancel Presidential, National Assembly Elections In Parts Of Kogi Over Irregularities

The Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), a pro-democracy, human right and anti-corruption Civil Society Organisation has raised the alarm over alleged massive irregularities that characterised the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency held on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Monday, the group through its Media Officer, Uchenna Mojekwu said there was an urgent need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the entire results collated from the 12 council wards making up the Dekina Local Government Area.
According to Mojekwu, a rerun ought to be ordered on a later date as what happened at Dekina was nothing more than a daylight rape of democracy.
He further said officials of GICN have been following events preceding the election.
The statement read, “They were also physically on ground to monitor how the election ended with violence, massive rigging, killing and maiming of innocent citizens. From available videos, pictures and other pieces of evidence, some thugs linked to the Chairman of Dekina Local Government Area, Prince Isiaka, who is a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  snatched ballot boxes and truncated the election process in Odu 1 and 2 Wards, Anyigba Ward, Egume Ward, Dekina Ward, Oganenigu Ward, Emewe Ward and Abocho Ward. 
“Investigation reveals that Prince Isiaka mobilized Councilors of the affected Wards to cause mayhem because the candidates of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) took early lead. 
“The group regrets how INEC officials and security agents allowed themselves to be used against the will of the people. In most polling units across Dekina, election results were not uploaded at the Polling Units as the INEC officials have been compromised to hide under the guise of malfunctioning of the BVAS machines.
“GICN threatened that unless justice is served to Honourable Usman Austin Okai, all candidates of the PDD and persons injured during the election, petitions will be authored to relevant local and international agencies in the coming days.
“It urges the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), International Human Rights Protection Service (IHRPS) Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to immediately prevail on INEC to suspend further collation and declaration of the election results until the proper thing is done. 
“Kogi State has always been peaceful and must not be thrown back into the darks days of violent protests due to the action or inaction of greedy politicians. The law is no respecter of persons and Prince Ishaka must be arrested and interrogated forthwith on account of the overwhelming evidence of atrocities he has committed.”