By: RABIU SANUSI Kano
The kano state civil Society (CSOs), The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Elections Situation Room (KSCSESR) held a joint press conference on Sunday to debunk reports of it calling for the cancellation of the Kano State governorship election.
The organizations said the movement is politically motivated, suspected to be arranged by some faceless groups in conjunction with some mischief markers in spreading fake stories about civil society organizations.
The Chairman of TMG, Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa while briefing newsmen in Tahir guests place on Saturday lamented that as a matter of the fact, no genuine civil society group will side with any political parties as the position of the group is expected to be apolitical.
“the TMG chaiman added that the regard such an act as a desperation and selfish attempt to discredit organizations into reports that are clearly politically motivated and sponsored, which claimed to be speaking on behalf of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accredited observer groups in Kano State.”
“we call on the public to disregard in totality these wild reports making rounds and using the names of credible organizations calling for the cancellation of the governorship election in Kano State.”
The groups also urged the media to filter credible civil society groups from faceless, politically sponsored groups who hide under the names of credible organizations to concoct fake stories that suit their narratives.
“We implore the media to desist from availing such unscrupulous groups of the platform to propagate their disruptive, misleading, and fake stories.
“We are sternly against the illegal use of our names towards creating chaos in Kano State and Nigeria.”
In his remark Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, the convener of the Kano Civil Society Elections Situation Room recommended that “Justice must be served and seen to be served on those who perpetrated electoral violence in the 2023 elections, not just in Kano but in all the flashpoints across the country.”
TMG, CISLAC, and Kano Civil Society Elections Situation Room recommend that all accredited observers should learn and strictly adhere to INEC guidelines on observers’ operations to appreciate their limitations as observers, which are only to observe and make recommendations.
They also recommend that all potential elections observers should pass through Anti-Corruption Agencies screening henceforth, to ensure that only prudent and credible organizations are accredited as observers in future elections.
