ITRealms:
Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on
the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to quickly
probe its denial of the 2015 election observer identity cards, reports
ITRealms.
The Bishops in a preliminary statement on the 2015 general
elections, made available to ITRealms and endorsed by the duo of Chairman
Church and Society, Bishop Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia Diocese and President of
CBCN, Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos, noted the
importance of the probe so as to note to spoil the good image of INEC.
“We call on the INEC chairman Prof Atahiru Jega to
investigate what happened in order to not rubbish the good works he has put
into building the credibility of INEC,” they said.
The Bishops emphasized the fact that election observation by
civil society organisations has the added value of enhancing the credibility
and acceptability of election results.
According to the Bishops with regards to 2015 general
elections, they received accreditation for Justic, Development and Peace Center
(JDPC), under the auspices of Caritas Nigeria, which is it’s relief and
development agency.
The lamented that contrary to expectations, INEC could not
fulfill its obligation of providing enough identity cards to all the approved
list of observers, in spite of the extension of six weeks.
For instance, they pointed that whereas in Lagos State the
JDPC planned to deploy 697 observers, as already approved by INEC, the
Commission could only provide 160 identity cards, and similarly shortchanged
Abuja, Warri, Uyo, and towns in Benue.
INEC, the Bishops said was not able to print any identity
cards for Bauchi, Jalingo, Nsukka, Lafia, Kaduna, Kano; all this, after
accrediting JDPC and approving 5189 number of observers.
“INEC refused all entreaty to use alternative means of
identification,” the Bishops Conference said.
+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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