Electoral malpractice: Group calls for Akpabio’s resignation
A coalition of 17 civil society organisations drawn from within and outside Nigeria under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society on Electoral Security and Transparency Initiative has called on Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio to resign over his alleged confession of electoral malpractice.
The group also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the alleged self confession.
In a press statement signed by Ali Abacha, the National Coordinator Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency and Good Governance, on behalf of the coalition, the group decried what it called “elite phenomenon whereby those in positions of authority openly flout laws of the land with utmost disdain yet arrogantly admit to this and in most cases, get away with it.”
Referring to the alleged admittance of Akpabio to influencing a senatorial election result and personally replacing the winner with his preferred candidate, the coalition condemned acts of election rigging by impunity perpetuated especially by top government officials.
It said: “For whatever reason, this is an unjustifiable act at that level of governance and injurious to deepening democratic governance in the country. It should therefore be condemned by all well-meaning democrats not only in Nigeria, but the world at large.
“Against this backdrop we hereby call on Governor Akpabio to consider his rigging confession as self-indicting and therefore call for his outright resignation from the exalted office of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State to face prosecution for electoral fraud.”
The group also called on the House of Representatives to commence investigation into the activities of Akpabio, so as to avoid further disintegration of democratic ideals in the state.
Akpabio was quoted to have said: “I used my own hand to strike out the name of the person who has won before, and I said it is important for me to give that region a Senator in 2007, and I produced Senator Aloysius Etok for you; that’s where he comes from.”
OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU/NATIONAL MIRROR
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