Sunday, February 15, 2015
Civil Groups Protest Against INEC Gagging, Wants NSA Sacked..."say NO to electoral violence
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Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of Nigerians United for Democracy (NUD) yesterday called for the immediate sack of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
The coalition also demanded that the Chief of Defence Staff (CODS), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff should be relieved of their positions for stating they could not provide security for the general elections, which should have held yesterday.
Representative of the CSOs, Barrister Solomon Dalong, made the demands during a rally in Abuja by the pro-democratic movement.
Members of the movement protested from the unity fountain to the federal secretariat with inscriptions such as: "No more postponement, one man one vote"; "No to interim government"; "INEC must be independent"; "Power belongs to the people through democracy" and "No repeat of June 12," among others.
Police and Department for State Security (DSS) operatives provided security for the protesters.
They alleged that the NSA had connived with the service chiefs by usurping the powers of the National Security Council and President Goodluck Jonathan whose responsibility was to protect lives and property.
Dalong said: "We condemn in strong terms the action of the NSA and the service chiefs. We find their threat not to provide security to INEC for the conduct of the elections as a blackmail and indeed a coup against an institution of Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
"The NSA does not have the constitutional mandate to advise INEC on security matters and it is not in his purview to guarantee the security of the nation."
They protested that the elections should have been rescheduled only in the 14 local councils affected by terrorism, adding that the military may not guarantee security in the March and April polls.
The CSOs cautioned against further postponement of the elections.
They said Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Atahiru Jega, should be retained while Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and Card Readers should be made available to eligible voters.
The Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Ms Hassan Idayat, said government should ensure the elections, saying the shift has affected the economy and Nigerians.
The coalition also demanded that the Chief of Defence Staff (CODS), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff should be relieved of their positions for stating they could not provide security for the general elections, which should have held yesterday.
Representative of the CSOs, Barrister Solomon Dalong, made the demands during a rally in Abuja by the pro-democratic movement.
Members of the movement protested from the unity fountain to the federal secretariat with inscriptions such as: "No more postponement, one man one vote"; "No to interim government"; "INEC must be independent"; "Power belongs to the people through democracy" and "No repeat of June 12," among others.
Police and Department for State Security (DSS) operatives provided security for the protesters.
They alleged that the NSA had connived with the service chiefs by usurping the powers of the National Security Council and President Goodluck Jonathan whose responsibility was to protect lives and property.
Dalong said: "We condemn in strong terms the action of the NSA and the service chiefs. We find their threat not to provide security to INEC for the conduct of the elections as a blackmail and indeed a coup against an institution of Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
"The NSA does not have the constitutional mandate to advise INEC on security matters and it is not in his purview to guarantee the security of the nation."
They protested that the elections should have been rescheduled only in the 14 local councils affected by terrorism, adding that the military may not guarantee security in the March and April polls.
The CSOs cautioned against further postponement of the elections.
They said Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Atahiru Jega, should be retained while Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and Card Readers should be made available to eligible voters.
The Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Ms Hassan Idayat, said government should ensure the elections, saying the shift has affected the economy and Nigerians.
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