Vote and go home – Police :ACN, CPC, ANPP insist on vote-and-wait

However, opposition parties responded just immediately that the police were running script written by the ruling PDP which is bent on using the security agencies to rig the elections.   INEC Chairman Professor Atthiru Jega had said people could wait behind and listen to the announcement of results in an orderly manner. The police statement […]

However, opposition parties responded just immediately that the police were running script written by the ruling PDP which is bent on using the security agencies to rig the elections.

 

INEC Chairman Professor Atthiru Jega had said people could wait behind and listen to the announcement of results in an orderly manner. The police statement also imposed a stay at home order from 6pm of yesterday to 6pm today  while a similar order will come into effect today from 8m to 6pm within the voting centres.

The statement warned, “Police will not condone any acts or conducts inimical to the smooth conduct of the election as any trouble maker will be arrested and dealt with according to the law. The Electoral Act mandates presiding officers to take charge of all matters within the polling units including security. Police can arrest or restrict movement only when the presiding officer issues order to do so.

INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega had yesterday been reported as having insisted that voters be allowed to stay behind at polling centres until ballots are counted.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has in the meantime, insisted that voters must cast their votes and wait for the results to be announced.  Reacting to the police directive that voters should cast their votes and go home, National Publicity Secretary of ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said,  “We also note that the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, had warned voters against using their phone cameras to record proceedings at the polling stations until the warning was countered by the INEC Chairman. Mr. Ringim has joined in what seems to be an anti-voter’s campaign and has shown his bias through this directive.”

On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Emma Eneukwu wondered why the IGP “is afraid of Nigerians defending their votes after all it is theirs. He has not told Nigerians what he actually wants. The Electoral Act 2010 permits Nigerians to stay 300 meters from the polling unit after casting their votes to monitor it. Also the INEC permits the voters so where is Ringim deriving his own laws?”

Meanwhile, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has said that it would resist the “obvious attempt” by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election using the state security apparatus. Briefing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, National Chairman of the party, Prince  Tony Momoh, it was the belief of the CPC that, “we should not sit down, fold our hands and grumble at a time when the hope of every Nigerian is to achieve what has eluded us over the years. Any attempt to rig will be resisted by Nigerians.”