The Elections Transparency Group (ETG) has berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its alleged refusal to release relevant documents requested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to aide his petition at the tribunal.
Olusola, who is challenging the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as declared by the INEC, had alleged that his applications to INEC for the certified true copies of election documents were rebuffed despite having fulfilled necessary steps.
In its reaction, the ETG said in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, and signed by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Kazeem Adekunle, that INEC must not act in a way that will suggest that it truly connived with security agencies to rig the election in favour of the APC as being alleged.
It warned against any attempt to manipulate the election documents in INEC custody, disclosing that “Just as it happened in 2011 when four officials of INEC in Ekiti State were arrested for voiding ballot papers used for the Ekiti East Constituency II House of Assembly election, we are watching the activities of INEC officials in Ekiti State and whoever attempts to tamper with documents in INEC custody will be exposed and arrested.”
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The group noted that since election materials are public documents, there was no reason for INEC to delay even for one hour before releasing all documents relating to the election to whoever that requested for them.
It called on INEC to release all documents requested by the PDP candidate and other interested parties without further delay, arguing that it will amount to denial of justice for the electoral commission to act as a stumbling block against the PDP and its candidate.
While condemning the roles played by security agencies before, during and after the Ekiti State election, the ETG said it was appalling that security agents openly aided votes buying at polling units by agents of the APC.
The group said security agencies, especially the police acted in a manner confirming that they had clear instruction from Abuja to deliver Ekiti State to the APCby whatever means.
