The most striking thing about Mr Humphrey Bekaren's statement calling for an outright cancellation on behalf of the international observers who monitored the Rivers state Gubernatorial/State House of Assembly was the alleged connivance with security operatives in the perpetration of virtually every electoral offence known to our laws.
If you have been following happenings in Rivers State closely since the First lady-Governor Amaechi rift, you will agree with me that this doesn't come as a suprise.Moreso if you followed Presidential Elections in the state.Gov. Amaechi and the APC gubernatorial flag bearer,Dakuku Peterside didn't vote.
Mr Peterside claimed he had only been accredited before a gang of about 50 armed youths stormed his polling unit.This was how safe the VIPs are talk more the common man.
I am a part of the voices calling for more stringent punitive measures against electoral offenders as I have always believed a punishment in law operates not only to punish offenders but also to serve as a deterrent to scare or discourage would-be offenders.I can't help but commend the outgoing Rivers State Governor for raising alarm over a plot by the Police to doctor statements made by Suspects so as to exonerate them without shying away from the fact that things may be more complex than they seem on the face of it.
The suspects were reportedly nabbed while thumb printing ballot papers for PDP candidates in the private residence of a PDP chieftain situated in the Tai Local Government Area of the State.
75 of these suspects are reportedly NYSC members serving as INEC ad hoc staff and it is with a heavy heart that I plead with the Authorities to look into their cases very closely.On the face of it,these Young Nigerians have brought untold shame upon themselves and their families but there are a lot of questions begging to be answered.
Bearing in mind what happened after the 2011 Presidential elections where Corp Members were slaughtered across the North for being a part of the process that robbed the then CPC Candidate now President-Elect,General Muhammadu Buhari(Rtd),it is imperative to determine to what extent if any,there were intimidated and made to fear the implications of declining overtures to be a part.
Compulsion and Necessity are defences that cannot be easily overlooked.Knowledge or Mens Rea (Mental element) is a critical element in the evaluation of a crime.In other words,the voluntariness of the act of the suspects. A key determinant in the instant case is Whether or not the criminal act was carried out pursuant to any threat whatsoever and most importantly, whether the Corp Members were capable of alerting the Authorities to the sinister plot by the PDP or not.Yes I hear your voice:What Authorities?.
The ones who are being accused of aiding and abetting Electoral Offences or the ones alleged to be doctoring Confessional statements?.The ones who still haven't been able to apprehend those who shot at the Governor's convoy even after he had publicly spoken of plans to assassinate him or ones who watch gun wielding hoodlums intimidate Voters?
No amount of money can adequately compensate for the lives of the NYSC members cut short in their prime after the 2011 Elections.The manner of the killings was most heart-wrenching and one could understand why there were many calls to scrap the NYSC Scheme back then but I don't think anyone can blame the Government for refusing to do so after due consideration of the pros and cons.It provides a wonderful opportunity for graduates to get to see other places thereby eliminating or mitigating at the very least any cultural shock that could arise from transfers or relocation in their chosen careers.It also serves as an avenue to ensure a smooth transition to a professional or working life among other things.
The lure of earning additional money through INEC's ad hoc arrangement could be quite tempting to the average Corp Member.Tempting enough to make a lot of them wave off the risks involved.
It would be most disheartening if these young persons are made to suffer unjustly for a crime they ordinarily wouldn't commit or would have alerted the Authorities to if they had been untainted and could guarantee their safety.
I humbly call on the IG to ensure proper investigations are conducted as they may be more than meets the eye.In the famous words of William Blackstone-"It is better 10 Guilty persons escape than 1 innocent person suffer".
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