The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) has expressed its dismay over the beating and stripping naked one of its national commissioners deployed to Adamawa State for Saturday’s supplementary governorship election.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner, Voter Education’ and Information, who disclosed this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the hoodlums who who brutalized the officials.
It would be recalled that Sen Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, was controversially declared by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Yunusu Ari. as the winner of the election midway into the collation of the results, sparking a crisis that went viral.
INEC headquarters, which swiftly reacted to the declaration, in a statement, said the action was null and void, but before then, the hoodlums had swooped on the INEC commissioners who were mistaken for the REC.
Okoye said, “If you see what is trending, two national commissioners were deployed to Adamawa State. One of them was brutalised, one of them was stripped naked. That will not be allowed to stand.
“The security agencies must unmask those who engaged in that particular act. They must be arrested, they must be investigated and they must be prosecuted. A national commissioner cannot be treated as if he or she is a common criminal.
“A former Vice Chancellor of Usman Dan Fodio University, a senior citizen was stripped naked and dragged. This commission will not allow that to stand.”
