Pages

Sunday, April 10, 2011

INEC to prosecute senator for electoral malpractices, says Jega

A senator is to be prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for electoral malpractices, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said. 

According to the INEC chair, the senator "commandeered corps members and election materials to his house.

"We are discussing with security agencies about having him apprehended and prosecuted," he said. 

Jega spoke at the INEC headquarters yesterday while reviewing the National Assembly elections. He said the turnout was more than 75 per cent.

According to him, but for some isolated cases in parts of the country, the elections were peaceful. 

"We had reports of people trying to hijack ballot boxes in places like Delta. In Bayelsa, there is an unfortunate situation where a serving senator in Bayelsa commandeered corps members and election materials to his house. We are discussing with security agencies about having him apprehended and prosecuted," he said.  

According to Jega, a violent incident was reported from Biu in Borno State on Friday while a bomb explosion at a polling unit in the state injured several voters on Saturday.

Jega was at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada to see victims of the bomb explosion at INEC office in Suleja where 13 corps members died. 

He said: "When such things happen, some people will be scared. We received reports that some parents told their children not to do the work again and we had to get replacements," Jega stated.

However, he said in spite of the dastardly act, "more than 75 per cent of Nigerians went to various polling units to cast their votes," adding that such legislative houses' elections tend to record only about 65 per cent voter's turnout in most countries.

Speaking on the reactions that followed last week's botched polls, he said vested interests have been disseminating disinformation against the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but all those holding top positions in INEC are prepared to give account of every decision or act they did, INEC chairman Professor Attahiru Jega has declared.

He said about 25 injured victims of the Suleja bomb blast are being treated. He decried what he called the aggressive disinformation being sponsored by influential political elite. He said it would not succeed in creating the division that such persons envisaged at INEC.

Jega who gave assurances that INEC will take very good care of dead and injured youth corps members who work as ad-hoc staff, said that the group life insurance policy arranged by INEC covers all of them against disability, accidents or death.

 He also said that comprehensive details of all incidents of electoral violence and arrests made in various parts of the country will soon be released, adding that INEC has continued to learn lessons that would facilitate the continuous improvement in the conduct of electoral processes, adding that the leadership of INEC has nothing to hide.

"We are fully in possession of all the materials we need and there will be no problem with the presidential election; the adjustment of election dates has given us more time to prepare more adequately for the presidential election.

Jega further expressed regrets that "some people out there who are highly placed in politics and can get always get some of you to print whatever story without corroboration", adding that the list of companies that INEC was said to have given contracts for the printing of ballot papers is false.

"So many things have been happening… a lot has been made about re-run ballot papers arriving before that of the main presidential election.  We identified one of the best companies in the world and gave them the contact for the main and rerun presidential ballot papers.

"We changed some of the security features that we wanted on the ballot papers; although they assured us that they will be able to do that, subsequently, they could not. They got another company in South Africa that said it could do it and eventually that South African company later said that they couldn't meet the deadline of the presidential election. 

"So we had to cancel the contract for the main presidential ballot papers and they were able to supply the ones for the rerun and we had to get the main presidential election done by another company. Those who knew this and wanted to cause further confusion and division along with the impression that everything is wrong and that INEC cannot do this job were now making it appear as if we did the contract for rerun papers first because we are anticipating a rerun to take place.

"In a situation where there are so many vested interests looking for so many things to accuse us of, some newspapers get information from certain sources and they do not corroborate or give the other party the chance to respond. .. Everything the say are sometimes half-truths and conjectures because they got information from vested interests and they want to please such interests by publishing the stories.

"We are prepared to defend ourselves and everything we have done as a commission because we have done everything honestly and sincerely; we have not been partial to anybody. Some reports try to project us as if we are working for candidates; we feel terribly insulted and people who know us know that there is no way we can bring partisanship to this job that we are doing," he said adding that some people have concocted stories alleging secret meetings with some political parties.

Speaking further, Professor Jega disclosed that a mob burnt down the house entered by some persons who snatched ballot boxes in Zaria even though soldiers prevented the lynching of the ballot box snatchers who are now in police custody.

He said that while a high profile arrest is expected in Bayelsa, incidences of violence have been recorded in four states.

Source: Click link below»
http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/33338.html

No comments:

Post a Comment