The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plan to undermine next year’s general election.
ADC in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that INEC is planning to engage a faction of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) led by MC Oluomo, a well known supporter of President Bola Tinubu to transport election personnel and sensitive materials.
The party reminded INEC that its credibility depends not only on conducting free and fair elections, but on inspiring confidence among all political stakeholders.
“Any logistics arrangement that potentially undermines the integrity of the electoral process because of the involvement of partisan individuals in handling sensitive materials would certainly cast a long shadow of doubts on whether the process has been manipulated,” the party stated.
It therefore called on the INEC to clarify the nature of its engagement with the faction of NURTW associated with one of the contestants in the election, adding that the nation’s electoral process should not be used for political patronage.
“As the leading opposition party, we will not accept any dealings by the INEC that is likely undermine the integrity of the elections,” ADC stated, disclosing that it would write to the Chairman of of the commission “to demand clear explanation of this incestuous engagement.”
The party also condemned the alleged participation of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police at the launch of a political movement established to advance President Tinubu’s re-election.
It called on the Inspector-General of Police to explain whether the attendance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police at the City Boy Movement event was officially authorised by him, and whether such conduct is consistent with the political neutrality expected of senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the ADC, the IGP should either take decisive disciplinary action against the CP, “if he did not authorise his attendance at the event, or he should issue to him a blanket approval to accept invitations and attend political activities of other political parties as well.”
The party stated that the Nigeria Police Force belongs to the Nigerian people, not to any political party, warning that senior police officers must not only remain impartial, they must also be seen to be impartial.
