ARREST OF OPPOSITION: DENT ON FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS

28^th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

ARREST OF OPPOSITION: DENT ON FREE & FAIR ELECTIONS

There is growing concern regarding the conduct of Nigeria’s 2015 general elections as allegations of arrest and harassment of leaders and members of the main opposition party rent the air.       

In spite of two separate Abuja Peace Accords signed earlier by President Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the Kaduna state Police Command on Friday (a day before the presidential election) summoned the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Nasir El-Rufai, to report for questioning in their offices. Summoned to appear along with Mr. El-Rufai are Suleiman Hunkuyi, the party’s senatorial candidate for Kaduna North and Lawal Yakawada, Chairman of the party campaign council in the state.

Among those in police custody are the APC agent at the Port Harcourt office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Emma Edeeyah, four leaders of the party in Akoko Edo 1 of Edo State and an APC member of the House of Representatives from Ondo State, Hon. Eniolorunda Omosule. Equally unnerving is the alleged attempt by plain clothes soldiers to arrest the State Youth Leader of APC in Edo State, Osakpamwan Eriyo.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) finds the above reports very distasteful. Harassment, intimidation and coercion of the opposition at this crucial period are capable of causing panic and igniting unrest. Eligible voters may also be scared away thereby defeating both the letter and spirit of one-man-one-vote. Such actions stand in contradistinction to the peace accords entered into by the political parties.

The implication here is that Nigerian security agencies are compromising. They are undermining a free, fair and peaceful election. There is no gainsaying the fact that summoning candidates and party leaders on the eve of elections can be destabilizing. It can also cause ‘costly’ distraction. It gives the ruling party undue advantage. It is the root of rigging. This is highly unethical of the security agencies. It is quite unhealthy for our nascent democracy for the security agencies to be seen deliberately stunting the growth of democracy. 

MURIC has the following posers for the Inspector General of Police: must police summons and arrests come 24 hours to election? Why are all the summons and arrests targeted only at leaders and members of the main opposition? Is the IG aware that the Nigerian Police can provoke the electorate through unethical and openly partisan acts?

Is the IG aware that undue and unprovoked hostility towards the opposition is tantamount to favouritism towards the ruling party? Can these actions of the Nigerian Police stand the test of international best practices among the police during election periods?  

MURIC affirms that there is no difference between hate speech and partisanship on the part of umpires. Both provoke people to engage in violent acts. It is paradoxical that whereas security agencies should prevent the breakdown of law and order, the Nigerian security agencies are indirectly aiding and abetting anarchy. 

We demand the immediate release of all political detainees of the last 48 hours. We also charge the IG to use his good offices to stop further intimidation and arrest of political opponents. The International Criminal Court is advised to beam its searchlight for culprits of election violence on Nigerian security agencies.

In view of the fact that any outbreak of crisis in Nigeria and its attendant humanitarian calamity is bound to affect the rest of the world, we invite Nigeria’s partners in democratic practices like the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations to conduct independent investigations into the role of Nigerian security agencies in the 2015 general elections. Those indicted should be tried at the Hagues. This will help in checking the excesses of overzealous security officials in future elections. It is high time Nigerian security agencies realized that the world is now a global village and that professionalism is the key to growth.

In conclusion, MURIC reminds President Goodluck Jonathan that coercing the opposition not only constitutes an indelible dent on a free and fair election, it also poses a potent threat to peaceful elections. We appeal to Nigerians to ignore all sorts of provocations and to conduct themselves peacefully during and after the elections. We cannot afford to turn into cannibals and arsonists at this crucial time. We urge both Christian and Muslim leaders and clerics to prevail on their followers on the need to eschew violence in all its ramifications.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

2015 POLLS: FOR NIGERIA, NOT FOR PARTY

27^th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

2015 POLLS: FOR NIGERIA, NOT FOR PARTY

Nigerians go to the polling booths tomorrow Saturday, 28^th March, 2015, with excitement mixed with trepidation. This is because the political campaigns and rallies have been characterized by hate speeches, blackmail, calumny, threat, violence and even murder.

We observe that the political class have thrown caution to the winds in the past three months and allowed primordial sentiment to rule their emotion. Nigeria’s political culture as manifested in the preparations for the 2015 poll cannot be described as chaste and civilized.

The concomitant ‘migration’ of Nigerians in large numbers from their workplaces to their states of origin as D-Day approaches merely helps to confirm the depth of the citizens’ fear and their total lack of confidence in the system. The allegations and counter allegations between the ruling party and the main opposition have also added fuel to the conflagration. Even at the eleventh hour, there are still accusations concerning plots to rig the election and suspicion about an interim national government or a military coup.

With this at the back of our minds, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) hereby express huge disappointment in the attitude of Nigeria’s leaders and some of the politicians. The only institution which we find deserving commendation is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Though it found itself in an entirely hostile environment, it has remained committed to professionalism and impartiality.

MURIC invites politicians to approach tomorrow’s election with a high sense of integrity and patriotism. Only thus can they shun the temptation to rig either for the purpose of perpetuating themselves in power or to wrestle power from the incumbent at all cost. We also urge politicians to avoid making wild, unsubstantiated and dangerous speculations before the results are officially announced by INEC. We appeal to Nigerian youths to distance themselves from politically motivated acts of violence.

We invite the security agencies to emulate the principled stand of INEC and avoid compromising their integrity. Only thus can they gain the respect of the citizens and the outside world in a post-election Nigeria. We remind them that not only are international election observers watching their behaviour, the floodlight of the whole world is now beamed on our country. They should not turn Nigeria into a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

The rainbow behind the clouds is the joint statement issued by President Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) in which they both agreed to accept the results of the election as declared by INEC. We urge all candidates to accept results in good faith.

No party must be seen as winning or losing. There shall be no victor, no vanquished. Nigeria must be the sole winner. Tomorrow’s election is designed to move our dear country forward. It is about Nigeria, not any political party.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

AVOID PRE-ELECTION ARRESTS

22^nd March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

AVOID PRE-ELECTION ARRESTS

Seven days to the commencement of the 2015 polls, there is palpable fear in the opposition camp that the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) plans to clamp its leaders in detention using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    

In pursuance of our age-long advocacy for free and fair elections and the promotion of sustainable democracy which we started one year after the June 12, 1993 election, we are constrained to intervene again following the alarm raised yesterday by the main opposition party that FGN plans to embark on the plot mentioned above.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) takes a peep into history to remind FGN, the good people of Nigeria and the international community of a similar general clampdown of the opposition on the eve of elections which led to the first military coup in 1996. Nigeria never really recovered from the ricochets of that military putsch.

Goats were tied overnight outside the homes of members of the opposition as the latter slept. They were woken up by policemen in the morning and accused of stealing goats.

Other trumped-up charges were leveled against them. Many were clamped in jails across the country. This tyrannical suppression militarized the opposition and forced them to launch a fierce resistance. Violence erupted in several parts of Nigeria and this prompted soldiers to stage the coup.

This scenario is frightening because of its impact on the average Nigerian. When the hen perches on a rope, neither the hen nor the rope will remain stable.

The streets will no longer be safe for children to go to school. Workers may stay at home for their own safety. Markets may shut down leading to hunger and starvation. There will be general topsy-turvy. Our hospitals may find it difficult to cope with the likely high casualties. The rest is better imagined than experienced.

  

MURIC appeals to President Jonathan to resist the temptation to use the power of incumbency in an arbitrary fashion. The current government has demonstrated the capacity for such action against members of the opposition. We recall the arrest of the spokesperson of the main opposition, Alhaji Lai Muhammed and many others during the last gubernatorial election in Osun State.

This must not happen again. FGN must not re-enact the 1965 clampdown on opposition which led to the first military coup. Such arrests can only be politically motivated and it is capable of plunging the country into pandemonium. It is simply an anachronism in 21^st century democracy. FGN should show Nigerians good intention this time around.

In the same vein, we appeal to the opposition to be less aggressive. FGN has accused the opposition of setting up an illegal radio station. An unregistered radio station elicits several possibilities, none of which is palatable. Nonetheless, we note that the opposition has denied any knowledge of the radio station.       

We urge members of the international community, particularly Western powers, to avoid contributing negatively to the Nigerian electioneering process. In this regard, we strongly condemn the comment attributed to a former envoy of the United States who warned yesterday that a vote for the main opposition candidate is a vote for calamity in Nigeria. This statement is reckless, irresponsible and undemocratic. It exposes the envoy as a square peg in a round hole.   

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

CARD READER CONTROVERSY: STOP INTIMIDATING JEGA

19^th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

CARD READER CONTROVERSY: STOP INTIMIDATING JEGA

Some media sources reported yesterday that intimidation featured prominently in the meeting between service chiefs and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.

The service chiefs allegedly asked Jega to withdraw the card readers. Two ethnic militia groups have also held demonstrations against the use of card readers. Many of the demonstrators openly brandished guns and other dangerous weapons. 

Interestingly too, the ruling party has been rooting for holding the elections without using the card readers while the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), supports the use of card readers. 

Putting all these together, Nigerians are beginning to ask questions. They are worried about the fast approaching elections. If the card reader is meant to stop rigging, why should anyone object to its use? Also, did INEC acquire the card readers without informing the Federal Government? 

If FG knew about the card readers prior to the procurement, why are the ruling party and the service chiefs vehemently opposed to its use? Again, if FG would not allow its use, why waste huge sums of money on its purchase?

We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) are constrained to observe that all the above have created a tension-soaked environment. This is contrary to a conducive atmosphere for holding elections.

MURIC charges all stakeholders to soft-pedal at this crucial stage before Nigeria is plunged into chaos. Extreme position on the left or the right at this material time is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

The status quo has also compelled MURIC to envision the worst case scenario in which the chairman of INEC Jega’s security details could be withdrawn. He might be asked to resign or the youth corpers whom INEC intends to use for the elections might refuse to work for fear over their personal safety. 

INEC may also be sabotaged either from within or from outside the electoral institution. Withdrawing Jega’s security details will imply open intimidation. It will also backfire because it is bound to incriminate FG. This must not happen.

We advocate caution in all these scenarios. The international community is watching. We invite all stakeholders to recharge their patriotism. Elections come and go, Nigeria must remain. Let us all drop thoughts of embarking on unconstitutional acts, sabotage, violence or secession.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)