Increasing Partisan Role Of Security Agencies Worrisome – CSOs

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country on the aegis of ‘Situation Room’, have decried the increasing partisan role of security agencies in the nation’s politics particularly election matters which he noted is dangerous to democracy.

Convener of the Situation Room, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, who stated the position of the CSOs when he led other CSOs to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stressed that we cannot move into 2019 having our security agencies operating like an arm of the ruling party.

The CSOs therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of necessity and national importance, restrain the use of state institutions for partisan politics.

Nwankwo also expressed concern that barely 200 days to the 2019 general elections, INEC is yet to receive a budget, even as the National Assembly has adjourned its proceedings till September 25.

He said; “I fear that elections for 2019 is being threatened because there is no funding to enable INEC to carry out its responsibilities.

“If our security agencies are going to threaten the credibility of our electoral process, it behooves on Civil Society Organisations to raise issues about it.

“This is why we are raising the issue that the partisan role of our security agencies is a source of concern to us,” Nwankwo stressed.

Responding, INEC National Commissioner in-charge of Publicity, Mr. Solomon Soyebi said the commission is worried over the rising cases of vote-buying during elections, stressing that there was need for some of those that were apprehended during the Ekiti governorship election to be prosecuted.

Soyebi noted that vote-buying has now acquired a lot of names such as prepaid and post-paid, adding that the development is a dangerous and serious issue. 

He further said; “There was even free fuel being donated by political parties in Ekiti State. Money is beginning to play a significant and damaging role in our electoral process. We should try and find a way stop this menace.

“While we are happy that people are no longer snatching ballot boxes, however, they are now going to the polling units to buy votes. Truth is that there cannot be vote-buying without a willing seller. It is becoming highly worrisome, coming out in multi-colours every day. It is becoming so endemic and I think it is not what we should gloss over,” Soyebi emphasised.