Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to be intimidated by politicians ahead of November 26 governorship poll in Ondo State.
National Coordinator of the organisation, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement on Monday said that INEC should strive to ensure that the election was credible and transparent in spite of perceived intimidation by some politicians and their parties.
Onwubiko noted that the commission cannot afford to compromise, especially as it already had credibility problems following complaints from the September 28 Edo governorship poll.
He described the allegation by a politician, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, that an INEC official demanded one million dollars bribe from him as “sensational’’.
While urging the commission not to be distracted, HURIWA dared Jimoh Ibrahim to provide facts on the alleged bribe demand.
Onwubiko added that the commission should not to be cowed by antics of politicians, saying that the emergence of Eyitayo Jegede as Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the state complied with the Electoral Act.
“By virtue of our extensive monitoring of the media, there is publication to show that Eyitayo Jegede is the democratically-elected candidate of the PDP.
“Any attempt by fifth columnists to stampede INEC into imposing a non-card-carrying member as the candidate of PDP in the Ondo state election will be futile and unpopular.
“It is imperative that democracy is not scuttled on the platter of sponsored and orchestrated anarchy such as introducing someone unknown to members of the party,’’ he said.
Onwubiko advised that the Ondo chapter of the PDP should be allowed to pick the candidate who would win the election for the party.
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