The United Kingdom has asked that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, be allowed to do its job, in reaction to alleged military interference in the governorship and state assembly elections in Rivers State.
The UK High Commission in Nigeria, through its verified Twitter handle @UKinNIGERIA, also expressed concern over reports of the interference.
The UK High Commission also noted that reports by its independent observers collaborated media reports of military interference in the electoral exercise.
While noting that it was monitoring the situation very closely, the UK High Commission called on relevant stakeholders to allow staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, do their job without harassment.
“We are extremely concerned by reports, including from @UKinnigeria observers, of military interference in the election process in Rivers State. Monitoring the situation closely. @inecng staff must be allowed to do their job in safety, without intimidation,” the UK High Commission wrote.
“This position is further confirmed by the fact that INEC State Collation Officers have declared 23 PDP candidates as duly elected for their respective constituencies for the State Assembly elections which ran simultaneously with the Governorship Election”, they said.
While calling on President Buhari to take steps and punish all those involved in the ‘coup against democracy’, the group said they took solace in the fact that the Chief of Army Staff had denied ordering the criminal activities of the army at the Rivers State Governorship Collation Center at INEC headquarters.
