By Ruth Oketunde
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the “Vote Not, Fight Campaign”, has called on INEC and security agencies to prosecute persons that engaged in ballot box snatching and distortion of the election process in various polling units in the country.
The group made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
The undersigned CSOs are 2Baba Foundation, Catch them Young Community Initiative, Child Protection and Peer Learning Initiative.
Others are Fostering Achievement of Community Empowerment Initiative, Jesz Development Initiative and New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative.
They said that it was important for INEC and the security agencies to work with community groups to identify, arrest and prosecute such persons, to serve as a deterrent to others in subsequent elections.
They added that INEC should also ensure citizens access to the INEC Report Viewing Portal and give regular feedback to Nigerians on the result collation and announcement.
The group also recommended that INEC provides a brief on the issues raised by various stakeholders during the election, as it would reaffirm their initial commitment of conducting a free, fair and credible election.
In its observation of the election of Feb. 25, the group commended Nigerians for the high turn-out of voters, unlike previous elections.
They added that inspite of the late arrival of INEC officials, and poor logistic arrangement by the electoral body in deploying materials to various polling units, voters waited patiently for the commencement of the electoral process.
They added that vote trading was minimal as Nigerians came out in their numbers without being induced by money or gifts to vote a particular candidate. (NAN)
