Shun undemocratic pre-election activities, group tells politicians

http://theadvocatengr.com/shun-undemocratic-pre-election-activities-group-tells-politicians/

The South East Governance Network (SEGON), a non-governmental group based in South East Nigeria, has raised an alarm over what it described as unwholesome pre-election activities being carried out by some political stakeholders in the zone.
SEGON made this known in a statement signed by Hope Okoye and Ogechukwu Enwelum, Acting President and Acting Secretary of the group respectively.
The group listed such illegal activities to include the destruction of party/candidate’s posters, billboards, vehicles and offices in Owerri (Imo state) and Aba (Abia state);  and the dumping of large numbers of Permanent Voter’s Cards in ESWAMA refuse dumpster in Enugu East, Enugu state.
Others are marketing of party candidates’ campaign materials like wristbands, etc in Secondary schools in Owerri under the guise of supporting free Education and attacks on party faithful and property by suspected thugs of opposing parties in Abia State.
The group said: “Our attention has been drawn to the recent unwholesome pre-election activities among key stakeholders in the South East zone. This ugly trend as seen and reported recently in the media has contributed to the upsurge of certain undemocratic practices.
“SEGON having taken cognizance of all these unethical acts believes that they are not good for our democracy and therefore condemns in strong terms all undemocratic and violence-related acts and urges the appropriate authorities to urgently fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.”
It urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure that its personnel do not sabotage the Permanent Voters Card, PVC distribution or disenfranchise any registered voter in the South East just as it called on political parties not to involve under aged children or interrupt the peace in the secondary schools.
While advising registered voters in the South East to collect their PVCs and vote wisely during election as their civic responsibility to uphold democracy in Nigeria; SEGON also admonished  all political parties and actors in the South East to respect the  electoral code of conduct elaborated by the INEC.
“SEGON reiterates its call for immediate beef-up of security personnel in the South East by the Nigerian Police Force and other relevant stakeholders’ before, during and after elections for the safety of citizens’ lives and property for which the Federal Government of Nigeria bears the primary responsibility.
“SEGON thereby urges the good people of South East and Nigerians in general to remain peaceful during elections and faithful to the National unity of our great country,” the statement said.