A political pressure group, Save Abia Now (SAN), has called for immediate prosecution of all Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officers found culpable of illegally removing sensitive materials such as Results Sheet and Card Readers from INEC Office recently in Umuahia.

In a statement released yesterday in Umuahia, the Legal Adviser of the group, Barr. Sylvanus Nkoro, described the action as mischievous, criminal, illegal and a calculated attempt to cover up the aftermath of Abia State Gubernatorial Election, which has been adjudged both locally and internationally as flawed with high level of electoral malpractice, irregularities, ballot box stuffing and snatching which is evident in the results released in these four LGAs which Abia State CSos/Election Observers called for its cancellation.

Nkoro decried the situation where INEC ICT staff conspired with some political parties to move sensitive INEC materials out of INEC office without the consent of the state Resident Electoral commissioner to perfect their rigging plan.

He alleged that the materials the suspects attempted to take away are sensitive materials such as card readers and results sheets of the controversial LGAs, Osisioma, Obingwa, Isiala North where the results were cancelled due to irregularities but was forced to reverse itself by the State Returning officer Prof. Ben Ozumba.

He asserted that the organisation “has uncovered a perfected plan by the Chief INEC ICT Boss in connivance with some highly placed political office holders in the state to open the INEC Data Bank and manipulate the figures in these stolen card readers to tally with the purported results released in these Local Government Areas.”

Nkor also expressed disappointment over the complexity of INEC Staff whom, he said, had helped in subverting the will of the people.

“Based on the recent statement by the INEC Chairman and the Acting Inspector General of police to fight electoral crime, we therefore demand for immediate transfer of these Suspects to Abuja and prosecution of those erring officers and their accomplice and all the process of their prosecution must be made open to the public.

“Abians will resist any attempt to cover up this heinous crime or to kill the matter has been speculated in most quarters across the state.

“The commitment of these bodies to fight electoral fraud will restore the public confidence in sound democratic principles and public trust on the election umpire and the security agencies,” he said.

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