Chidi Odinkalu
The
National Human Rights Commission and some groups under the umbrella of
the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room have called for “a credible,
independent and impartial” probe of rigging allegedly perpetrated by
some politicians and military personnel in the Ekiti June 21, 2014
governorship election.
In a communiqué the groups issued after a
recent meeting, they viewed the allegation as “serious” and said the
investigation must be carried out immediately.
The communiqué was jointly signed by the Chairman, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu; and Head, the CSO Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo.
The bodies said they met to examine the
“Pre-Election Report and Advisory on Violence in Nigeria’s 2015 General
Elections,” which was issued recently by the NHRC as a measure to
forestall election related violence.
The audio tape purportedly captured the
voices of the governorship candidate of the Ekiti Peoples Democratic
Party, now Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; ex-Minister of
State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro; Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh, who
was in charge of the election; Osun PDP governorship candidate, Senator
Iyiola Omisore; and Minister for Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, in a
meeting where they allegedly gave directives to the military to favour
the PDP.
The groups said there was urgent need to
investigate the allegations in the interest of credibility of elections
in the country as well as that of the military as an institution and
persons involved.
The communique read in part, “The
allegations concerning the role of certain senior political and military
personnel in the Ekiti governorship election are serious; and it is in
the interest of the credibility of Nigeria’s election system and of all
persons and institutions associated with these allegations that there
should be a credible, independent and impartial investigation of these
allegations without further delay.”
The NHRC and the CSOs stressed the need
for the “protection of the independence, impartiality and credibility of
the Independent National Electoral Commission as the body
constitutionally entrusted with responsibility for organising
elections in Nigeria.”
They affirm their commitment to ensuring
the protection of the integrity and independence of key institutions of
government like the police, military and the judiciary, among others,
that are fundamental to democratic development, respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms in Nigeria.
They stressed the need to preserve the
independence, neutrality and impartiality of all security and law
enforcement units deployed for election duty, including the
responsibility to be impartial and respect the human rights of all
voters, election administrators and agents.
Their communiqué further read, “The CSO
Situation Room and the NHRC expressed shared concern about the tone and
what appears to be the willingness of the leading political parties to
turn the role of the security agencies in the 2015 general elections
into a partisan issue and agreed to work together to protect the
professionalism and neutrality of all security units or institutions to
be deployed for the elections.
“Accordingly, the CSO Situation Room and
the NHRC have agreed to establish a joint Technical Working Group to
work together in developing clear Rules of Engagement together with
Protocols for monitoring compliance by security agencies (including the
police, military, internal security or para-military units) that may be
deployed for election duties in the 2015 general elections. The working
group shall report not later than the March 10, 2015.
“The Situation Room and the NHRC called
for politicians from across the political divide to close ranks in
protecting and defending the credibility of the electoral system.”
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