Osun 2022: Utomi, Falana,Others Set Up Anti-Rigging Centre
Several CSOs under the aegis of Civil Society Committee for Anti-Fraud Election Security, CISCAES, have set up an anti-rigging war room to monitor, track and counter fraudulent practices at Saturday’s OSU governorship election.
Speaking at a briefing in Lagos on Monday, one of the leaders of the group, Prof Pat Utomi, said the initiative is a part of efforts at ensuring a free and fair election in Osun and by extension Nigeria in 2023.
Utomi, who is the Chairman of National Consultative Front, said if the Osun governorship poll is not free and fair, it will ultimately impose a huge threat on the anticipated credibility of the 2023 general elections.
“The direct immediate consequence would become “voter apathy” in 2023 for lack of confidence in the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct transparent, fair and credible 2023 polls,” he said.
Human rights lawyer, Barrister Femi Falana (SAN), explained the anti-rigging electoral “War Room” would help to track, identify and dismantle the already existing vote-rigging mechanism.
According to him, the measure which will become fully operational on Wednesday July 13 will help to monitor, track and counter ongoing fraudulent practices before and during the election.
“Where cases of fraud or vote-rigging are identified, such shall be rightly reported to our own CSO-driven anti-rigging War Room (Situation Room) for immediate and needful interventions.
The Nation
