By Adedoyin Falolu
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has warned political parties organizing acrimonious congresses and primary.
According to release signed by Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman voters Education committee said the commission has watched with utmost dismay and profound concern the recurrent acrimony, violence and destruction of property, including the commission’s property and equipment, which have characterized some recent political party congresses and election across the country.
In as much as this is the season of political party congresses and convention to elect their leaders at various levels of party organization and INEC is mandated by law to monitor them adding that this meeting constitutes a very important aspect of the electoral process and democracy generally in Nigeria.
Okoye explained that the level of violence in some of the congresses is making it extremely difficult for the commission to exercise its statutory oversight responsibility enshrined in sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act,2010 citing the example of the congress in Kaduna recently, violence broke out leading to the destruction of commission’s ballot boxes.
The release explained further that political parties are reminded that they have a clear obligations to ensure that their congresses and conventions are orderly, democratic and in accordance with extant legal framework, their own constitutions and guidelines, as well as INEC’s regulation and guidelines.
“This commission will not stand askance and watch party conventions and congresses degenerate into farcical rituals and violent fiasco that threatens lives and destroy property. ‘For the avoidance of doubt, INEC will henceforth reconsider its involvement in these events, should they continue to put lives of members of the public and staff of the commission at risk”,Okoye said.
Okoye further explained that the commission will henceforth have far reaching consequences in any situation where party congresses and conventions degenerate into violence and destruction of INEC property saying apart from replacing such destroyed materials, party may be backlisted from the receipt of INEC materials for their activities in future and also withdrew Staff from monitoring such activities.
In addition, He said: Commissions wishes to remind political parties of forth coming primaries to select their candidates for upcoming elections and by-elections, particularly those for Anambra State gubernatorial election and Federal Capital territory,(FCT)area elections.