Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Dr. Clement Nwankwo has reaffirmed the position of Situation Room on the 2019 Presidential elections, as lacking the required credibility.
Dr. Nwankwo who stated this in Abuja, during an interactive session with Journalists during the review of the Centre’s activities for year 2022, also gave insight into some of the factors that prompted the postponement of the 2019 general elections.
While blaming the former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Morris Iwu for the outcomes of the general elections, he said: “One thing is clear, in 2019 when I was covering our Situation Room at the time, the situation is that, we were the only organization that described the 2019 election as lacking credibility.
“In 2007, PLAC was just starting, in a personal capacity, I was a very very close friend of Morris Iwu. We actually come from the same District, but we stood up and told Morris that what he did was wrong and the elections were, and though I was Country Director of NBI at the time.
“And following from discussions in NBI particularly my branch leading the NBI delegation, we were waiting for results, only 12 States had sent in results. Morris Iwu had announced the results, I mean for me that’s the most bizzar thing I have ever seen.
“And reports were issued by the Observers which was quite clear. In 2019, there was no amount of intimidation to the point that the Army came to this office. But we stood by our report that the elections lacked credibility.
“If we have come this far, I don’t know what else anybody can do and I have suffered personal tiring from different people. So, for me it doesn’t make my life any better, I would rather take the consequences of the smearing and the tiring than loose my honesty.
“I even said it the other time you know I’m not the Convener up to the Situation Room anymore, if the Situation Room does not say the truth, PLAC will say the truth.
“For me that’s what it is, there is no way, there is nothing I have personally to profit from anybody. Okay, let me not say there is nothing anybody can do for me, I have nothing to profit from anybody.
“The biggest profit for me is credibility and respect and that I have for myself and if anything can make me loose my respect for myself, then it’s not worth it. So I’m happy to speak on any issue and my Colleagues are happy to speak as well. So, quite frankly we will say the truth as they are, and yes, we will support INEC.
“We know that there are plans to insecuring INEC by some politicians but we also have to put an eye on INEC by ourselves to ensure that they haven’t done something that have put them in their position that is making it uncomfortable for them.
“So, we are not here to praise INEC. We are here to support INEC because it’s an institution that needs to keep its credibility,” Dr. Nwankwo noted.
