Fake INEC Papers: Need For Probe

Signals emerging from the recent arrest of a syndicate engaged in the printing of fake In
dependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) result sheets for the December 10, rerun elections in Rivers State are very disturbing. Under a regime that prides itself with fighting corruption, government’s indifference to a scandal of that magnitude is indeed shameful, counterproductive and worrisome.
Last Saturday, the Police in Port Harcourt smashed a syndicate allegedly engaged by chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State to print fake result sheets meant to be used for the Rivers South-East Senatorial rerun polls. Manager of the printing press located along Isiokpo Street and relation of the APC’s governorship candidate in the last State elections, indeed named a former Agriculture Commissioner under the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi administration, as having engaged him to print the fake sheets.
The culprit’s account which was recorded by stakeholders and other newsmen, especially, the African Independent Television (AIT), even went viral on the social media. Public expectation therefore, was that the police would complete their good job by concluding investigations and charging culprits to court.
This is why it came to many as a huge surprise that rather than track-down those named by the prime suspect and probe INEC for the source of the various codes for different polling precincts, obliged the printers, there were signals that the matter was about being swept under the carpet. The last, the public heard was that the AIG in charge of the Zone had directed that the matter be moved to Calabar, “a dangerous sign that nothing would come out of the matter,” lamented some politicians.
Even more dangerous is the fact that no one can say for sure, how many other result sheets for other Senatorial Seats and Federal Constituencies had already been printed and are in wrong hands. This is most unfortunate.
The Rivers rerun elections to fill the three vacant senatorial seats, 12 House of Representatives slots and 21 of the State House of Assembly have lingered for too long and at great loss to the State. It is not a fault of the electorate but indeed that of INEC which has failed to demonstrate sufficient neutrality, capacity and willingness, needed to make all votes count.
Instead, what seems glaring is a secret collaboration between the supposed electoral umpire and a party in the contest. It is now obvious, that the rerun elections were delayed primarily because that party in coalition seemed unprepared for elections and remains bent on subverting the people’s will through rigging.
It is also clear now that the declaration of the last polls as inconclusive might have stemmed from disturbing signals that the results were not going to be in favour of the APC, since 10 out of 11 early results favoured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was therefore, not surprising that INEC was in no hurry to conclude the elections until the intervention of the Senate.
What is expected of INEC, therefore, is to prove skeptics wrong. That it is capable of being neutral, that it can conduct free, fair and credible polls and finally that it is willing to eschew partisanship and bias, this time around.
The first step towards that should be for INEC to undertake an internal self-probe to fish out those who might have compromised their integrity by stealing out codes of essential electoral materials meant for the December 10 rerun. That is if the criminal action did not get the blessing of the INEC high command, in the first place.
It must be stated for the umpteenth time, ‘no one is good enough to govern another … without that other’s consent,’ as enthused by one-time American President, Abraham Lincoln. This means, elections of all kinds must be based on persuasion and demonstration of true readiness for service. In all, the power of choice must rest with the people, the electorate and in this instance, the Rivers people.
To attempt to subvert the people’s will is to create confusion, avoidable unrest and even violence, as a worst case scenario. This must be avoided now that INEC still has the chance to conclude the elections that have lingered for so long.
The handling of the Rivers situation, especially the reproduction of fake result sheets for the December 10, rerun, is a litmus test of the honesty of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade and readiness to defend democracy. Nigerians expect the President to demonstrate that he is a President for all, and so would do justice to all, no matter who is involved, friend or foe, supporter or opponent.
The silence of the security community in an obvious case of likely miscarriage of justice or theft of political mandate is indeed worrisome and questions their true sincerity to fight crime. That is why the protest by lawyers and civil society groups in Abuja last Tuesday, against the silence is most reassuring. It confirms there are still Nigerians who would not keep quiet in the face of obvious oppression.
Rivers has suffered lack of representation for too long. Nothing should extend that denial beyond December 10, due to desperate attempts by a few, in order to hijack the People’s Mandate. That must be avoided.