The publicity secretariat of All People Congress (APC) has issued a statement countering the earlier directive from the Inspector General Of Police (IGP) to the voters to go home immediately after casting their votes in the ballot boxes.
According to the public statement from the APC publicity secretary, Al Haji Lai Mohammed, voters can stay around to see and observe the votes being counted from the ballot boxes as a constitutional right and not be bordered by the directive from the IGP who ordered the voters to return home immediately after casting their votes.
The statement seem to reaffirm the stance from an earlier one by the INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega that voters can exercise their constitutional rights by watching the votes being tallied as part of a democratic rights to monitor fair play in a fair election.
”According to Jega, who appeared on Channels TV on Friday morning, the electoral law says anyone that has no business with the electoral process at the polling booths but desires to monitor events should stay at least some metres away from the polling agents and completely away from the ballot box after casting their votes.
”The INEC Chairman further clarified that all registered voters have businesses with the process and can therefore not be classified as people that don’t have businesses at polling units.
”Therefore, the IGP has no constitutional right or powers under the constitution or Police Act to rewrite the electoral law. The role of the police is to maintain law and order or such other assistance as may be sought from the police by INEC,” the party said.
