News

November 26, 2013

Rights groups protest ‘failed’ guber poll

BY  OKONKWO EZE

ONITSHA—A coalition of human rights groups, comprising Movement for the Survival of Democracy, MSD, World Alliance Against Terrorism, Violence and Inhuman Treatment, WAATVIT, and Institute for Peace and Justice, IPJ, yesterday staged a peaceful demonstration against what they termed as malpractices that marred the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

During the demonstration that lasted about two hours, the groups threatened to sue  the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukogu to court if he failed to give account of how he applied the funds voted for the conduct of the election.

Addressing the demonstrators at the Bridge-Head, Onitsha, spokesman for the coalition , Mr Anthony. Orunkoya, asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to as a matter of urgency, investigate the tax payers’ money that was voted for the exercise.

Orunkoya threatened that the coalition would go to court to compel EFCC to probe the huge expenditure for the flawed election using the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act as a guide.