N/Assembly urged to penalise cops involved in election rigging

The National Assembly should end police involvement in election rigging, the Citizens’ Cultural Renaissance Initiative (CICURI) said yesterday.

A statement by the civil society’s president, Lawrence Davis and secretary, Precious Okpudhor, decried the brutality, partisanship and lawlessness exhibited by some elements in the Nigeria Police Force in recent polls conducted in some states of the federation.

They said the police action in Edo, Ondo and Rivers states, all in their attempts to secure victory for some political parties and politicians was embarrassing to the country’s democracy.

“In the Edo and Ondo elections, we observed disgraceful scenarios in which policemen were engaging in daring ballot box snatching and cash distribution in favour of the ruling party while at the same time destroying votes garnered by the opposition, threatening and beating up their party agents,” the statement said.

The civil society said “we observed that this regrettable situation increased in tempo and dimension during the December legislative rerun election in Rivers state.”

The group said it wondered why though several policemen caught rigging elections were left untouched, but police leadership was quick in dismissing aides of Rivers State governor.