Mr. Obo Effanga, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, has urged Nigerians to join in criticising those perpetrating electoral violence in the country.
The REC made the call during a post-election review meeting with journalists in Benin City on Friday.
He opined that persons who disrupt elections do not commit it on their own accord but are sponsored by politicians.
“The quality of what we do is a reflection of us as a people because all the people who were involved in the elections were Nigerians. The people who conducted the elections were Nigerians; the people who contested the elections were Nigerians; the people who disrupted the elections were Nigerians; the people who shot people during elections and the people who reported the elections were Nigerians. So, it is for us as Nigerians to decide and act the right way at all times.
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“And If people disrupt elections, they didn’t just stand on their own to do it, somebody recruited them to do that. Who are the people recruiting them to do that? The same people who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the process, the politicians. We need to call this people out,” Effanga said.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, however, pointed out that whenever politicians win, they say it’s “victory for democracy and it was a reflection of how the people voted for them.”
He added that reverse is the case when they did not win as they would always try to find reasons to blame everyone apart from themselves.
Effanga, who further said that the commission gave those persons not satisfied with the outcome of the election the opportunity to protest and submit complaints at its offices, noted that there was little they could do about the it.
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“The elections have been concluded across the country. In Edo State specifically, we had elections on three different days. We had the presidential and national assembly elections; state house of assembly elections and we had supplementary election to conclude the election in three of the state house of assembly seats and one of the House of Representatives seats.
“All elections have been concluded, results have been announced, winners have been declared and Certificates of Return have been given to all declared winners. So, the election cycle has ended at our end. We know that a few of the contestants have gone to the tribunal and the courts will handle that.
“On our part, we thought we should meet with critical stakeholders that we have worked with in the course of the elections to say thank you and listen to suggestions, observations or areas you need clarifications on.
“I am not in the position to say how well we performed in the elections but what I can tell you is that the management team of INEC, in Edo State, strived as much as possible to conduct the election the best way we can based on the laws, constitution and guidelines for the election,” he added.