Imo Election: IPLF Demands Withdrawal of YIAGA Observer Group

One week before the Imo State Governorship elec­tion, a group calling itself “the Imo Progressive Lead­ers Forum” (IPLF) has drawn the attention of the Independent National Elec­toral Commission (INEC) to ongoing accusations of bias and partisanship leveled by political parties against a civil society group called YIAGA, one of the accred­ited observer groups.

According to IPLF, the direct mention and alleged open romance of the La­bour Party (LP) deputy governorship candidate in the upcoming elections with YIAGA directly in­volved in the gubernatorial poll has made it necessary for the group to withdraw from participating in the election as an accredited observer.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri, the coordinator, Si­mon Diogu C., argued that the allegations concerning the LP Deputy Governor­ship candidate’s member­ship and sponsorship of YIAGA had made it more compelling for the civil so­ciety observer group (YIA­GA) to save it and withdraw from all activities concern­ing the upcoming election in the

The allegations against YIAGA are weighty and demand a thorough and immediate investigation by security agencies to protect the credibility and impartiality of all the stakeholders and ensure that no political party or election observer group or any major stakeholders in our electoral process is tainted with any sort of allegation of impropriety as we count down to the November, 11 Imo, Kogi & Bayelsa Governorship elec­tions respectively” .

The IPLF contends that anything that comes out of the operations of YIAGA as an accredited observer organization cannot be trusted because the group is biased.

As a result of strong alle­gations of impartiality and prejudice raised against the accredited observation group, IPLF urged INEC to urgently persuade YIAGA to resign or withdraw from participation in the Novem­ber Governorship Election.

We make this call as pa­triotic Nigerian citizens and indigenes of Imo State who are very desirous of having an election that will not only be free but also must be seen to be fair,” it added.

Source: INDEPENDENT