Observers warn of plot to manipulate Nigeria vote results

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS

A coalition of Nigeria's main civil society observers has warned of an alleged plot to manipulate the results of the March 28 general elections as collation continues nationwide.

"The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room is concerned by reports of attempts across several states of the country to undermine the integrity of the collation of votes and outcome of the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly general elections," the body said in a Monday statement.

"The Situation Room has received disturbing reports that politicians using various arms of the national security apparatus are attempting to fiddle with the collation process and pass off results that undermine the credibility of the elections and the sacrifice of millions of Nigerians from all walks of life, who against all odds, trooped out to cast their votes on March 28," it added.

The Civil Society Situation Room is a body of different accredited local observers participating in the country's 2015 poll.  It groups some of Nigeria's best known rights activists.

Millions of Nigerians went to the polls Saturday to elect a new president, 360 House of Representatives members and 109 senators.

The presidential race is largely between incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has ruled the country since 1999, and Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler who is running on the ticket of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), an amalgam of political interests.

The winner of the presidential race must clinch more than 50 percent of all valid votes plus a mandatory 25 percent in two-thirds of the country's 36 states.

If no candidate is able to win outright, the two frontrunners will compete for a simple majority in a runoff vote.

The electoral commission is the only body recognized by Nigerian law to declare official results.

Aggrieved parties have 30 days from the election to legally challenge final poll results.

-Concerns-

Festus Okoye, a senior member of the coalition, said they are particularly concerned about the developments in northeastern Bauchi, southeastern Imo and south south Rivers states where tension has mounted as opposition alleges conspiracy to tamper with the result.

"We have very disturbing reports of such shenanigan going on especially in Rivers and Bauchi where youths defied a suspicious curfew yesterday to stay overnight at the office of the electoral commission," Okoye told AA.

"We believe this trend is dangerous and totally unacceptable."

APC supporters stayed overnight at the office of the electoral commission in Bauchi defying a 24-hour curfew earlier imposed by the state government in the wake of militant attacks.

They insisted the provincial capital Bauchi wasn't affected by the attacks and there was no need for the curfew which, they claimed, could be a way of "manipulating" the poll outcome in favor of the ruling PDP.

Suspected Boko Haram fighters had attacked Alkaleri town on Sunday, killing one person and injuring many others.

The militants then reportedly advanced to Kangere town, about 15kms to Bauchi town.

The situation room, meanwhile, called on security agencies to avoid being used to cause chaos in the country.

It also urged the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to ensure that poll results reflect the wishes of the voters.

"INEC must ensure that its laudable efforts are not marred by a failure or abuse of the collation process and that all announced results are accurate and reflective of the will of the Nigerian people as expressed in their vote on March 28, 2015," said the statement.

The INEC is expected to announce the presidential results later Monday.