Rights Coalition Demands Public Apology From Yakubu, Investigation of Police AIG Over Rivers Election

A coalition of human rights groups in Rivers State, Rivers Unity Alliance (RUA), has demanded public apologies from the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, and the commission for failing to deliver free and credible polls during the February/March 2023 general elections.
The coalition, which addressed a press conference on the Rivers State governorship election, also called for the investigation of the assistant inspector general of police and the three commissioners of police that supervised security operations in the state during the election.
In the text of the press conference presented by Mr. Charles Inko-Tariah, convener of RUA, the coalition said, “Some operatives of these two key electoral umpires shamelessly compromised the genuine will of Rivers people and averted their votes/mandate during the just concluded 2023 general election.”
The fraudulent conduct of police and INEC personnel, the coalition revealed, were well captured on videos and footages that even went viral on social media, RUA stated.
It said the people of Rivers State and Nigerians generally, were highly disappointed with INEC after it became clear that the commission’s overhyped Bi-modal Verification and Accreditation System machine- (B-VAS) was a smokescreen to get the people to trust the electoral process.
“Yakubu-led INEC completely deceived Nigerians on the workings of BVAS in the 2023 general election. The B-VAS installation that gulped over N100 billion with all the assurance and guarantees, which motivated voters to turn out for the elections, was a total scam and deceit.
“Most remarkably, it is so sad to note that the election in Rivers State that was supervised by an AIG (assistant inspector general of Police) and three commissioners of police was heavily marred with high rate of killings, kidnaps and violent attacks. The police that were supposed to protect life and property were seen openly involved in ballot box snatching and abetting rigging,” the coalition further alleged.
It therefore demanded that Yakubu and INEC should apologise to Nigerians for conducting a fraudulent election; that the AIG and three commissioners of police that served in Rivers State be investigated; that all political detainees be released or charged to court, and that urgent electoral reforms be carried out that the commission should establish an electronic voting system that will ensure that votes can be cast online and monitored accordingly.
RUA advised all politicians and political parties that are aggrieved because of the elections to shun violence and seek redress in court or any other relevant legal route.