A coalition of civil society groups has called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], Prof Attahiru Jega to defy the Nigerian securities agencies and proceed with the elections scheduled for February 14 and 28.
Jega had told a group of civil societies that the commission would postpone the elections because security agencies in the country wrote to INEC that they would not be available to provide security during the elections because of their commitment toward curtailing the activities of the insurgent group, Boko Haram, a task which they insisted demanded their utmost concentration.
Situation Room conveyed to INEC its disappointment with the letter from the security agencies pointing out that this amounted to the military’s abdication of its constitutional duties to provide security to citizens and to the Commission to enable it conduct elections and appeared contrived to truncate the democratic process in Nigeria.
Situation Room is further worried that the military’s position also aims to blackmail and arm-twist the Election Management Body away from its constitutional guaranteed function of conducting elections. Situation Room also condemns this advisory by security agents that they cannot guarantee the security of citizens, election officials and materials during the election.
The Situation Room calls for the resignation of military chiefs and security heads including the Police on account of their inability to exercise their constitutional responsibility to secure lives and property at all times including during the elections.
Situation Room also calls on Nigerians to be vigilant and be ready to protect this hard won democracy.
The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria and includes such groups as Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Enough is Enough Nigeria, Wangonet, Partners for Electoral Reform and Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA). Others are Development Dynamics, Human Rights Monitor, Election Monitor, Reclaim Naija, Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, CITAD, CISLAC and several other CSOs numbering more than Sixty.
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