from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – ORGANISERS of the protest against Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, say they have suspended the demonstration in order to avoid bloodbath.
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and civil society organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of the Coalition of National CSOs (CNCSOs) had planned the action against Yakubu to force him out of office following controversial elections held earlier this year.
They had two weeks ago issued a 14-day ultimatum to Yakubu to “step aside or be democratically and legally forced to do so.”
CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu and the National Secretary of the CSO Coalition, Alhaji Ali Abacha, jointly explained that the suspension followed an intelligent report that certain interests had mobilised hooligans to disrupt the groups’ protest action.
“There is credible intelligence that certain interests are working to hijack our initial actions against the commission,” they stated.
“Even though the plots against our action were not traced to the commission itself, there are interests within the polity willing to cause havoc.”
The CSOs said it was therefore their resolve to suspend the protest action to avoid imminent bloodbath and explore other legal and democratic means to engage the under-fire electoral body.
“The CNPP and the CSOs are therefore opting for alternative means of dealing with the issues we have raised without endangering the life of any citizen,” they noted.
Bola Tinubu, sworn in as president at the end of May, was announced winner of the February 25 elections.
All three major opposing campaigns rejected the results, alleging vote-rigging and other irregularities.
The matter is before the courts.
– CAJ News