Ahead of the February 16 presidential election, a civil society organisation, Free and Fair Elections Coalition (FFEC), has called for an urgent investigation into the recent fire outbreak on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Plateau, Abia and Anambra states.
The group particularly called on the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Muhammed, and other security agencies to launch investigation into the incident, as well as others that occurred in different parts of the country, saying the action became necessary in order to disabuse the minds of Nigerians on the quest for free and fair elections.
In a statement signed and issued to journalists in Abuja by the coalition’s publicity secretary, Daniel Onche, on Wednesday, it alleged that the main opposition party had seen the handwriting on the wall even as it urged all stakeholders to exercise caution in the interest of the nation.
“We call on the IGP and other security organisations to swiftly probe these fire incidents on INEC facilities because the opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are already capitalising on this unfortunate situation to poison the minds of Nigerians against the determination of the Federal Government to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
“The latest tantrums by the PDP and its appendage called Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on the fire outbreaks is not surprising to us given the happenings on the political scenes, which apparently point to their imminent loss at the coming elections, hence their campaign of calumny against the hardworking electoral umpire and the Federal Government in order to halt the elections,” it said.
The coalition added that INEC must not be distracted and discouraged from carrying out its constitutional mandate of holding the general elections as scheduled for February 16 and March 2, 2019 in the face of what it called unwarranted attacks from the opposition.
Fire On INEC Facilities: Coalition urges investigation, caution
