By Aaron Ossai
As the call for transparency intensifies by members of the civil society, the Women In Politics Forum has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to be truly independent as the declaration of results of two candidates Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Kogi central and Ireti Kingigbe FCT Senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) is been unnecessarily delayed.
The group in a statement signed by Barr Ebere Ifendu said there has been outcry by both women that their results are being manipulated to suit their oppositions.
“We Nigerian women are saying stop the exclusionary actions and respect our rights to hold elected offices – to vote and be voted for.
” INEC understands already that the spaces for women has drastically shrunk in this election cycle and must do all it can to ensure that the votes cast for these women count.
“The untold harrassment and violence against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the PDP candidate running to represent Kogi Central is a clear case of violence against women in elections and the Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello must be cautioned and held responsible for the harassment and untoward threats to her life in this election by the security agencies.
“We therefore insist that all manipulated results be recounted. We call on INEC to call its officers to desist from being used by politicians to marginalise further Nigerian women and declare the FCT Senatorial result immediately , desist from any plot from tampering with the Bwari and Abaji Area Council Votes already counted and we reject the cancellation of the Abaji area council results.
“This is a travesty and the Women in Politics Forum insist that any attempt to marginalize further these women through the manipulation of the outcome of their elections will raise questions on INEC’s transparency, integrity and the sincerity to truly have inclusion in our elections”, the statement read.
