Injustice, electoral fraud fuel election violence, says IPAC
Thugs attack INEC officials in Abuja and destroy BVAs and ballot boxes. Photo: Ernest Nzor, Abuja
Abia State Chairman of Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Ceekay Igara, has said injustice to some parties, and tampering with polling materials, among others, instigate and fuel election violence before, during and after polls.
Igara made this known during the peace accord signing ceremony, yesterday, between the state Police Command and 18 political parties participating in the governorship and state Assembly elections in the state.
He, therefore, tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid complaints of previous elections, especially with regard to distribution of election materials to polling units at the appropriate time.
Igara expressed optimism that if level playing ground is put in place for parties and their candidates, with polling materials and officers reporting in good time, votes cast and announced at polling units, as well as collated accordingly, the coming polls would be peaceful, fair and credible.
The host state Commissioner, Mustapha Bala, said the peace accord was opportunity for parties and their candidates to commit to peace, free and fair polls in accordance with the law and guidelines.
He welcomed the postponement of the polls by one week, saying the period would be used to prepare better for and renew assurance that security agencies would do the needful.
Highlight of the event was the affirmation of the peace accord terms by political parties and their governorship candidates, which was moderated by the state Police Command’s Head of Legal Department, CSP Gladys Imegbu.
The parties, thereafter, pledged to abide by the terms of the accord and prayed for successful conduct of the polls and emergence of credible and acceptable results.
