Press Release
ANEEJ Welcomes Etsako Re-Run Election

ANEEJ Welcomes Etsako Re-Run Election

COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

PRESS STATEMENT

January 22, 2010

LET THE PEOPLES VOTES IN ETSAKO CENTRAL COUNT!!!

We, members of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations , welcome the preparations thus far for a re-run election into Etsako Central Constituency into the Edo State House of Assembly scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday January 23rd, 2010.

We are interested in transparent and credible election and we wish to encourage all eligible voters in Etsako Central Constituency to come out tomorrow, to exercise their franchise.

However, we are concerned about the issues that led to the Appeal Court ordering a re-run and are interested in avoiding mistakes of the past. In the light of the above, we request the following:

  1. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Edo State should put in place machinery for a credible election which is free, fair and transparent. INEC Officials should ensure that the votes of the people of Etsako Central Constituency count.
  2. INEC should ensure that electoral materials are delivered to all polling booths on time and that voting starts and ends on schedule.
  3. The Nigerian Police and other Law enforcement agencies should put in place adequate and non-partisan security network to guarantee safety of lives and property in Etsako Central.
  4.  All political parties must restrain their supporters from any form of violence and submit to transparent elections.
  5. There should be no rigging, manipulations, snatching of ballot papers and boxes by any individual or group.
  6. Election results should be announced immediately after collation of results to remove any doubts.

Finally, the coalition of Civil Society Organisations will release an independent report after the election.

Signed:

  1. Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
  2. Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin, Chairman, NLC, Edo State
  3. Mr. Patrick Eholor, Executive Director, One Love Foundation
  4. Innocent Edemhanria, Secretary, Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance
  5. Mr. Austin Owa Osakue, Foundation for Good Governance and Social Change.

For and on behalf of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Edo State

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