By Ogechi Ekenanyanwu
April 18, 2011 01:34AM

An election monitoring group, Project 2011 Swift Count, has condemned the detention of some accredited observers by security forces and other groups during Saturday’s presidential election.

In an interim statement on the election, the observer group said it was also concerned that accredited observers were denied access to polling units where they were assigned to monitor and that some of its observers were arrested and detained.

“We are extremely concerned about accredited observers being denied access to polling units,” Dafe Apkedeye, Project 2011 Swift Count’s 1st Co-Chair, said.

“In several states, Project 2011 Swift Count observers were harassed and in some cases detained by security forces.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security forces must take all necessary steps to ensure accredited observers have access to polling units and collation centre.”

According to the group, the most worrisome was the situation in Warri North and Warri South LGAs in Delta State where observers of the group were detained.

“Several of our observers there were detained throughout the night by the security agencies without just cause. This action is unacceptable,”

Mr. Apkedeye said, also urging INEC, security agencies and all others involved, to as a matter of urgency do everything in their power to address this situation and prevent any similar occurrences in the future.

Project 2011 Swift Count is a joint initiative of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN); Justice, Development and Peace /Caritas Nigeria (JDPC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).

Equal access right

Speaking a press briefing at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja yesterday, Mr.Akpedeye told journalists that for the presidential election, the group deployed more than 8,000 accredited observers to all 774 local government areas, over 7000 stationary observers at polling units and nearly 1,000 observers.

It asked the INEC to ensure that all accredited observers, not just international ones, should be allowed to move freely and to access polling units and collation centres across the country. It also recommended that security agencies should refrain from any action that will prevent accredited observers from carrying out their mandate.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5690734-146/story.csp

This is well, regarding Enugu: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5690715-146/story.csp


The 500k # is probably more reasonable.

“We are extremely concerned about accredited observers being denied access to polling units,” Dafe Apkedeye, Project 2011 Swift Count’s 1st Co-Chair, said.

“In several states, Project 2011 Swift Count observers were harassed and in some cases detained by security forces.

When we called their observations Bull/shyte, these observers said it was free and fair, so why the late hour complaint ? 

^^^

Dem get two heads

Ystranger:

^^^

Dem get two heads

Hahah, So dem liver cut to tell the truth before

Make Dem go siddon!