The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Kogi State, Prof. James Apam, came under fire yesterday over the shoddy Lokoja/Kotokarfe by-election.
He had a herculean task dealing with agitations of stakeholders in the state.
Stakeholders raised concern that during the election, security agents, rather than ensure that people complied with the restriction on movement order, were aiding and abetting the irregularities that characterised the election.
The by-election, held to replace the late deputy majority leader in the House of Representatives, Buba Jibrin, was marred by violence and ballot box snatching.
The stakeholders, who gathered at the instance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the general election, condemned the electoral umpire for the shoddy manner the election was handled.
Consequently, Concerned Nigerian Christians Forum (CNCF) has urged INEC to be transparent and conduct a credible election that Nigerians and the international community would be proud of.
Briefing journalists on the 2019 Christian Summit themed ‘National Healing, Reconciliation and Unity’ holding today (Friday) in Abuja, the national coordinator of the faith-based group, Isaac Balami, recognised INEC’s crucial role in ensuring a free and fair election and therefore urged it to act as an unbiased umpire.
Credit: The Guardian
