Biafra,MASSOB, has said that it would resist election in the South if
the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman, Prof
Attahiru Jega refuses to go.
The MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike who disclosed this Wednesday
at world press conference held at the MASSOB headquarters annex, New
Owerri, Imo State, said the resolve of his group stemmed from the
various allegations of bias leveled against the INEC boss.
In his address entitled Jega Must Go, Uwazuruike known as the Ijele
Ndigbo said "it has become increasingly worrisome that despite strong
allegations of bias against the INEC boss, Attahiru Jega, he ,Jega,is
still preparing to conduct the forth coming general elections.
He said that the worry stemmed from the fact that the election
conducted by the INEC boss would lack credibility and would
unavoidably put the nation into serious crisis.
"In such crisis as usual the safety of live and property of Ndigbo in
the North and other parts of Nigeria will be targets for destruction.
"From the onset, Jega was not prepared for free and fair elections. He
demonstrated that by his infamous 30,000 polling units, where he
allotted more than two-third of the polling units to the North.
Despite public outcry, the Senate also passed a resolution stating
that the polling units should not be used. Still Jega went ahead and
converted the polling units to voting centres in the North," he said.
The MASSOB leader also pointed out that Prof Jega was able to
distribute more than 90 per cent of the Permanent Voters' Cards,PVCs,
in the North, including Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states were there are
raging insurgency while he failed to distribute 50 per cent of the
same in the South before the elections were shifted.
He, therefore, said that even when the elections were shifted, there
are an avalanche of allegations that Jega would be biased in the
conduct of the March and April elections.
"The Governor of Plateau State, Mr Jonah Jang has taken INEC to court
based on the fact that the PVCs meant for distribution in his state is
yet to arrive. Besides, other states governors are still complaining
that PVCs meant for their states are yet to be printed.
"Jega wants to organise a kangaroo election where he intends to
pronounce his preferred candidate the winner of the election.
"This much has been stated by the leaders of the South-East,
South-South Leaders Forum led by Chief Edwim Clark. The Forum also
exhibited evidences of the minutes of meetings by Jega and members of
Northern Elders Forum. Till date Jega is yet to refute the
allegations," he said.
Uwazuruike said that his group was disturbed by the catastrophe his
agenda might provoke, saying that the impending calamity could be
avoided by Jega quitting.
His words: "Inasmuch as many believe that Jega has compromised, the
only option left for him is to quit. He is not the only person that
can conduct election in Nigeria. Any national commissioner of the INEC
can do so."
He disclosed that the people of the South-East, South-South and
South-West have passed a vote of no confidence on Jega.
"If Jega so insists in conducting the elections he may well conduct
the forthcoming elections only in the North. Jega cannot conduct a
pre-determined election for the South," vowing that there would not be
any election in the South if Jega insists on remaining to conduct the
polls.
The MASSOB leader warned that if the upcoming election is not well
managed it would snowball into crisis, which he said would see the
Igbo as major casualty.
He insisted that Jega has a moral obligation to quit now because of
the many allegations against him on bias, pointing out that former
electoral umpires like Abel Guobadia and Prof Maurice Iwu had in the
past quit three months before their terminal date and elections still
held as scheduled.
Ends
--Vanguard
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