Armed Policemen on Thursday barricaded the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) and prevented the All Progressives Congress (APC) protesters from gaining access into the commission’s office.
The APC is protesting against the outcome of the November 16 Anambra governorship election.
The APC is calling for an outright cancellation of the election, alleging that it was not free and fair.
Former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, expressed dissatisfaction at the presence of the armed policemen.
According to him, “they will have no job to do today because this is a peaceful demonstration”.
“INEC is our institution and we owe a duty to express our grievances when it is not performing its duty properly,’’ he said.
Tinubu stressed that the APC was determined to liberate Nigerians from election malpractice.
Another chieftain of the party, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, said that Nigerians had the duty to ensure free and fair elections.
He said that the protest was a peaceful demonstration to condemn the outcome of the November 16 Anambra governorship elections.
Chief Bisi Akande, the Interim National Chairman of the party, observed that the time had come to rescue the nation’s democracy.
“We are not comfortable with a supplementary election in Anambra. We want outright cancellation,’’ Akande said.
However, there was no INEC official to receive the protesters at the commission’s office.
Meanwhile, a police officer simply identified as Inspector Eliagwu at the INEC headquarters, said that the police presence at the office was to forestall any eventuality.
“As long as the protesters are law abiding and they go about their protest in a peaceful manner, there will be no need for possible police action,’’ he said.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday, at a Civil Society Election Situation Room meeting, said there was no substantial evidence to cancel the election.
He said that the commission would take responsibility for the lapses at the Anambra polls, even though they were not convincing enough to annul the election.
Jega said that most of those complaining about the election could not bring forth concrete evidence on why the poll should be annulled.
