The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has condemned the non-prosecution of electoral offenders arrested in both the April 26 and the supplementary governorship elections in Imo State.
National chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, told newsmen yesterday in Abuja that it is unacceptable to the party that those arrested by the Army and handed over to the Imo State Police for prosecution and justice have been released despite incriminating election materials allegedly found in their possession.
“Despite the success of the elections, the regret was that all the people apprehended by the soldiers both on April 26 and the May 6 election dates and handed over to the police have been released without information on whether they will be prosecuted or not, this does not augur well for the new spirit in our electoral processes.
“People who were apprehended for electoral offences must be arrested and prosecuted. The present situation where people will be arrested with election materials illegally in their position and nothing will be heard about them is appalling. We demand that Imo police command must re-arrest and prosecute them as a way of serving as deterrent to those who see Nigerian elections as opportunity to make money and broke the laws of Nigeria. It is only through that, that the good intent on INEC and federal government can be realised. Those who run afoul of the law must be subjected to justice,” Umeh said.
He said those that were arrested for tearing election result sheets after claiming they were rival candidates of the PDP have also been released without knowing what happened to their case. He however commended the security agencies especially the Nigerian Army and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), whose chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, he said, contributed immensely to the success of the elections.
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Imo: APGA protests non-prosecution of electoral offenders