PDP begs EU, UN for travel ban on INEC, police chiefs

Following the alleged violence and intimidation that characterized last Saturday’s governorship election in both Kogi and Bayelsa states, Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on international community to impose a travel ban on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu.

National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, who made the appeal also asked the European Union, United Nations, UN, and the international community to place a travel ban on top officials of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, over their role in the just-concluded elections in Bayelsa and Kogi State.

Secondus said the results of the elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States should be cancelled because they are products of bloodshed and do not reflect the true wishes and aspirations of the people of the states.

“We have the details of the roles played by the Police high command and the INEC as well as other security and INEC officials in this election. Those details will be made public at the appropriate forum and time’’.

“It is instructive to call the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the fact that since the election, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Federal Government has failed to take any concrete steps to investigate the issues and bring culprits to book.

‘‘The Police and INEC had also failed to take any decisive action to arrest and investigate their officers accused of involvement in various crimes in the elections’’.

Secondus stated that the invasion of polling units and killing of voters to manipulate electoral results cannot be allowed in Nigeria’s democratic space.

“If the APC’s political brigandage that happened in Kogi and Bayelsa State is allowed to stand, such would be extended to other elections including the 2023 general elections and that would be a death knell to our democracy.

“The PDP, standing with millions of Nigerians also holds that the INEC and the Police high command must be made answer charges of electoral fraud and crime against humanity at the appropriate quarters.

“We call on the international community as well as international organizations including the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union (AU), ECOWAS to immediately impose sanctions, including travel bans, on the INEC and the Police high commands for abusing their offices and allegedly aiding or allowing acts that led to electoral fraud and violence in the elections,” he added.