Civil Rights Group Warns INEC Against Manipulating Election Results

A civil rights group, The Abia Coalition For Justice and Equity, ACJE, has called on the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure that the votes of the Abia People count in 2027.

The group in a statement on Thursday sighed and made available to newsmen by the Convener, Comrade Okwute Otuonye warned the electoral umpire not to allow itself to be used by any group or politician to work against the will of Abians in 2027.

The group was reacting to the news of the arrest of an INEC official in Isiala Ngwa South, registering people with INEC’s registration machine.

Preliminary reports say the official, identified as Chukwuemeka Nwaobilor was collaborating with an unnamed politician from the local government.

The group expressed worry that Isiala Ngwa South is the home local government of Governor Alex Otti, raising concerns that the motive behind the illegal registration could be to increase the number of registered voters for manipulating election outcomes in 2027.

The Coalition warned that Abians would not allow anybody to hoodwink them into the dark years after experiencing turn around in governance in Abia.

The statement further encouraged the Nigerian Police and INEC to thoroughly investigate the matter and prosecute those found culpable.