By. Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
An Edo sociocultural group, Concerned Edo Citizen Forum has called on security agencies, including the Directorate of State Services DSS to arrest the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu for plunging the nation into tumour with the conduct of the 2023 presidential election which they alleged failed to meet the minimum requirements of the Electoral Act 2022 particularly as it relates to the transmission of election results through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS.
The group made the call at a press conference in Benin City to condemn the 25 February elections, observing that the election was day light robbery, accusing INEC of working against the principles of democracy.
Reading from a press statement signed by the Director of Publicity of Concerned Edo Citizen Forum, Comrade Osas Felix Osagie noted that, “INEC seriously and shamelessly worked against the principles of democracy hence, as a body they are doomed for petition.
“INEC deceived all Nigerians with BVAS because they told us over hundred times that results will be transmitted directly to INEC server to enhance credibility of the process, but to our greatest surprise INEC acted without regard to their guidelines hence, this election must not stand because it negates the basic principles of democracy. We hereby call on security agencies to as matter of urgency arrest the chairman of INEC”.
While calling on the judiciary to act with the fear of God while adjudicating on election petitions arising from the elections, the group called on Nigerians to reject the results of the presidendial election as declared by INEC and urged members of the international community to start to deny INEC Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu and other culpable elements in INEC visas to travel out of the country.
“We also call on the judiciary to act with fear because what happened in Nigeria can’t happen in animal kingdom or in satanic abode.
“We call on sincere Nigerians to reject this results and outcome because it’s devilish, callous and wicked …. We are still crestfallen to hear that winners were declared, to the level that those who didn’t show any signs or participated were declared winners.
“We call on international communities not to give visa to INEC chairman and the beneficiary of this heartless election based on their unholy shenanigans and gimmicks therefore reelection is the only way out of the political cul-de-sac.
“Finally, we call on all Nigerians to come out to defend democracy in Nigeria and those who lost, particularly Hon. Sunny Aguebor, a very popular candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency was a victim of the wicked activities of INEC and as a group we shall encourage him to challenge this charade in the court of competent jurisdiction”.