NewsRescue
By Ibrahim Mohammad, Kaduna
Coalition of Civil Societies in Nigeria today warned President Jonathan from removing INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega, saying without Jega there would be no election and peace in the country.
The group said they took this decision because they were convinced that the presidency planed to send Professor Jega to terminal leave next week.
The groups disclosed this in a statement signed by some leaders of the coalition such as Ade Yusuf Yusuf of Northern anti corruption Front, Comrade Isreal Uwejeyan of Niger Delta Youth Congress and Comrade Rani Rezak respectively and made available to newsmen.
“It has become obvious that despite calls and warnings by patriotic citizens and a section of concerned international community for the federal government not to temper with the reviewed elections timetable, some elements in government and within the ruling PDP are bent on scuttling the process.
“Indications that government is poised to dare Nigerians to a ride in the tide came when the elections earlier scheduled for February 14, where extended by six weeks.
“This suspicious step drew the anger of almost every Nigerian and international governments and bodies especially the US, UK, UN, EU and the AU.
“Despite the widespread anger that trailed that 6-week shift, it is still obvious that the presidency is set to defy the whole world and ensuring that the polls do not hold next Saturday as rescheduled.
“This they hope to achieve by insisting on pushing out the current Chairman of the INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega and shifting the goalpost in the middle of the game.
” We are reliably informed and are convinced that government would force Jega on a supposed terminal leave early next week.
“We therefore call on all Nigerians to come out and occupy all the major cities, towns and streets on Tuesday, March 22, to serve as a warning round of protests.
“This would then ultimately lead to a prolonged national protest if government goes ahead with forcing Jega out.
“This measure is indeed very critical if we must save this nation from its dangerous slide to anarchy and disintegration.
“Let us also seize this opportunity to sound a final warning to FG sponsored OPC thugs, who want Jega out to shut up.
“Let the OPC thugs who are pretending to be championing the southwest interest,bury their faces in shame. We know they are mercenaries and wish to remind them that nobody has monopoly of violence.
“No Jega, no elections, no peace. Period. No card Reader, no elections. We call on the internal community to sound a warning to the clueless Jonathan government about further undermining the democratic process. It is unacceptable,” the groups said