….Plus Those Exempted In Elections Rigging Allegation

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has, after its investigation, found that 50 top Nigerian university Professors played various conspiratorial or vicarious roles in the alleged brutal poll rigging and voter suppression during the February 25 Presidential/National Assembly and the March 18, 2023 Governorship/State Assembly Polls across the country.

Among the 50 university Professors the Intersociety accused of being conspiratorially or vicariously involved are 34 Vice Chancellors and a Deputy Vice Chancellor drawn from Federal, State and Private Universities in Nigeria.

Apart from the 50 culpably or conspiratorially Nigerian University Professors involved, there are also 34 others the civil rights group identified. According to the Intersociety in a statement signed by its principal officers, they include ten Doctorate Degree holders and other former top military, police and spy police officers and former ministers and Government Commissioners including Engineer Olufemi Odunbiyi, former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Lagos State and APC chieftain who was recently placed in charge of INEC ICT as Director.

The statement also reads:

There are also 17 university professors among the 37 INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioners and 12 National Commissioners widely or publicly accused of coordinating the 2023 armada of electoral fraud.

Generally speaking, a total of 88 university professors and other experts are found to be conspiratorially or vicariously involved out of the number, only four are exempted and worthy to be celebrated as heroes of Democracy in Nigeria or any part thereof.

UNIZIK, FUTO, Umudike Agric VCs And Abia REC Exempted

Exempted from the culpability list are Vice-Chancellors of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof Charles Esimone, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Prof Nnenna Otti, Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Prof Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe and Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State, Prof Ike Uzochukwu. VC Esimone of UNIZIK was exempted on account of his doggedness and refusal to compromise the results of the Presidential Poll in Imo State where he served as the ‘State Collation Officer’. His refusal to compromise also pitched him against the State Government and Commissioner of Police. VC Nnenna Otti of FUTO, Owerri was outstanding in her handling of the Abia State Governorship Election of 18th March 2023 where she served as ‘Collation Officer’.

Even at the risk of her life and liberty, she remained adamant for truth and in the end, her resilience and resistance triumphed. VC Maduebibisi Iwe of Umudike Agric University was exempted for being resolute and refusing to compromise the Nkanu East doctored results in the Enugu State Governorship of 18th March 2023 where he served as “Collation Officer”. Intersociety also gathered that the erudite and courageous VC held his ground at INEC Headquarters during the “review” and back in Enugu; he still held his ground until the results were corruptly announced against his will.

REC Prof Ike Uzochukwu as Abia REC is singled out for exemption on account of his courage and refusal to compromise the results of the State’s Senatorial and House of Reps poll leading to ‘his executive captivity’ until after the announcement of the results at gunpoint using an INEC Admin official.

Abia REC’s ‘executive abduction’ was blamed on the on the Abia State Police Command and the State DSS Directorate. On regaining his liberty, Abia REC Prof Uzochukwu addressed the media and disclosed that “some candidates announced as winners were not the real winners of the poll”.

A Society Where University VCs/Professors Have Become Election Riggers Is Irreparably Doomed

By direct perpetrators, they are unlawful conducts direct perpetrators that order, supervise and execute the unlawful acts such as coordination of election rigging or voter suppression and facilitation or supervision of the destruction of evidence-to cover up the unlawful acts.

By vicarious liability or responsibility, it is the inescapable responsibility of the superiors for the acts of their subordinates or, the responsibility of any third party that had the “right, ability or duty to control the activities of a violator or a perptaror, but failed or declined to do same.”

It is also a liability assigned to an employer or other principal for his agent’s or employee’s acts performed in the course of employment or other duty. The two definitions above aptly capture the involvement in the referenced armada of electoral fraud, of Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the Commission’s National Commissioner for Voter Education, Festus Okoye Esquire and its serving 12 National Commissioners and 37 State Resident Commissioners and Director of ICT as well as the Commission’s hired 37 ad hoc States and FCT Collation Officers. Intersiociety is deeply worried that Nigeria has become a country where university vice-chancellors and professors engage in brazen election rigging and widspread suppression of voters.

The damage done on Nigerian universities and their students as well as the country’s corporate image is also gravely irraparable.

The rigger-professors and experts involved deserve nothing less than international visa bans and international movement and exchange programs’ restrictions in Europe, North and South America and democratic South-East Asian countries.

We Saw It Coming When APC Apologists And Integrity Challenged Others Became RECs In 2022

The road to the current messy situation at INEC became well noticed following the flooding of the INEC’s list of Electoral Commissioners (14 new RECs and 5 reappointed others) with APC apologists and integrity challenged others. The Buhari/Osinbajo Presidency had on 26th July 2022 forwarded the list to the Senate for confirmation.

Critics and activists raised serious concerns over the inclusion of such integrity challenged persons as RECs in brazen violation of paragraph 14 (2a) of the Third Schedule to Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and Section 2 (3) of the INEC Establishment Act of 2004. According to the Constitutional Paragraph 14 (2a): “a Resident Electoral Commissioner shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity” and by Section 2 (3) of the INEC Establishment Act, 2004: “the Chairman and members of the Commission (INEC) shall be non partisan and persons of unquestionable character”.

According to informed critics, among the card-carrying APC members and apologists nominated as Resident Electoral Commissioners are: Muhammad Lawal Bashir, a 2015 APC governorship aspirant in Sokoto State; Pauline Onyeka Ugochi, a former head of INEC’s ICT in Imo State publicly accused of corruption and conniving with politicians in undermining elections; Elizabeth Queen Agwu, a former Accountant General of Ebonyi State reportedly suspended in 2016 for corruption and incompetence; and Prof Uchenna Sylvia Agu, a Enugu State APC nominee and younger sister of the current APC National Deputy Chairman for South-East Region.

Criticism against them and others was part of the findings by some Civil Society Organizations ‘working for the promotion of Democracy in Nigeria’ as contained in their recent press conference addressed by the Director of Int’l Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade.

The CSOs critic include: Yiaga Africa, the Kukah Centre, Int’l Press Center, Centre for Media and Society, the Albino Foundation, Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Partners for Electoral Reforms and Inclusive Friends Association.

Names Of 34 Conspiratorially Culpable University VCs /Professors As “State/FCT Collation Officers”

Abia: Professor Abel Ezeoha Deputy Vice-chancellor Alex Ekwueme University Abakaliki, Adamawa: Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, Akwa Ibom: Professor Emmanuel Adigio Vice-chancellor Nigeria Maritime University, Bauchi: Professor Abdulkarim Mohammed Vice-chancellor Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Bayelsa: Professor Lilian Salami Vice-chancellor University of Benin, Benue: Professor Faruk Adamu Kuta Vice-chancellor Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Borno: Professor Jude Rabo Vice-chancellor Federal University Wukari, Cross River: Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh Vice-chancellor Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Delta: Professor Owuneri Abraham Georgewill Vice-chancellor University of Porth Harcourt, Ebonyi: Professor Charles Arinze Igwe Vice-chancellor University of Nigeria Nsukka, Edo: Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo Vice-chancellor University of Uyo Akwa Ibom, Ekiti: Professor Akeem Lasisi Vice-chancellor Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Gombe: Professor Maimuna Waziri Vice-chancellor Federal University, Gashua, Jigawa: Professor Arma-Ya’u Hamisu Bichi Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, Kaduna: Professor Saleh Ado Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kano: Professor Sulieman Bilbis Othman Danfodio University Sokoto State, Katsina: Professor Mu’azu Abubakar Gusau Vice-chancellor Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, Kebbi: Professor Usman Saidu, Kogi: Professor Wahab Egbenwole Vice-chancellor University of Ilorin, Kwara: Professor Paul Annune Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (formerly Federal University of Agriculture), Lagos: Professor Adenike Oladiji Vice-chancellor Federal University of Technology Akure, Nasarawa: Professor Ishaya Tanko Vice-chancellor University of Jos, Niger: Professor Clement Allawa Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration University of Abuja, Ogun: Professor Kayode Adebowale Vice-chancellor University of Ibadan, Ondo: Professor Abayomi Fashina Vice-chancellor Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Osun: Professor Tolulope Ogunsola Vice-Chancellor University of Lagos, Oyo: Professor Olusola Kehinde Vice-chancellor Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Plateau: Professor Shehu Abdulrahman Federal University, Lafia, Rivers: Professor Williams Addias Vice-chancellor Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Sokoto: Professor Muhammadu Kabir Bala Vice-chancellor Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Taraba: Professor Mohammad Ahmad Abdullaziz Vice-chancellor Abubakar Tafawabalewa University Bauchi (ATBU), Yobe: Professor Umaru Pate Vice-chancellor Federal University Kashere Gombe State, Zamfara: Professor Kashim Shehu and FCT: Professor Olayemi Akinwumi Vice-chancellor Federal University Lokoja

Names Of National Chairman And 12 Perpetrator-INEC National Commissioners

Prof Mahmood Yakubu (National Chairman), Prof Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Prof Sani Muhammad Adam, Prof Muhammad Sani Kallah, Prof Kunle Cornelius Ajayi, Prof Sam Olumekun, Prof Rhoda Gumus, Retired Major Gen Modibbo Alkali, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Festus Okoye Esquire, May Agbamuche-Mbu, Ukaegbu Nnamdi and Dr Baba Gila.

Names Of 37 Perpetrator INEC State Resident Electoral Commissioners And ICT Director

North-West: Prof Saidu Babura (Zamfara), Prof Muhammad Lawal Bashar (Jigawa), Prof Ibrahim Makarfi (Kastina), Ambassador Zango Abdu (Kano), Ahmed Bello Mahmud (Kaduna), Muhammed Ahmed Ushama (Admin Sec, Kebbi) and Dr Nura Ali (Sokoto-removed).

North-East: Alhaji Mohammed Nura (Bauchi), Mohammed Ibrahim (Borno), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Yobe), Umar Ibrahim (Gombe), Hudu Yunusa Ari (Adamawa) and Alhaji Umar Muktar Gajiram (Taraba).

North-Central: Alhaji Ahmed Yusha’u Garki (Niger State), Malam Attahiru Madami (Kwara), Dr. Hale Longpet (Kogi), Dr Uthman Ajidagba (Nasarawa), Prof Sam Egwu (Benue), Dr Tersoo Agundu (Plateau).

South-West: Dr Adeniran Tella, Dr Mutiu Agboke (Osun), Retired Spy Police Director Olusegun Agbaje (Lagos), Niyi Ijalaye (Ogun), Oyekola Oyelami (Ondo) and Prof Abayomi Salami (Ekiti).

South-South: Prof Gabriel Yomere (Cross River), Johnson Sinikiem (Rivers), Hon Obo Effanga (Edo), Monday Udoh Tom (Delta), Dr Cyril Omorogbe (Akwa Ibom) and Emmanuel Alex-Hart (Bayelsa).

South-East: Prof Sylvia Agu (Imo), Dr Queen Elizabeth Agwu (Anambra), Prof Chukwuemeka Chukwu (Enugu) and Mrs Pauline Ugochi Onyeka (Ebonyi).

INEC Director of ICT: Olufemi Odunbiyi (former Commissioner of Science and Technology in Lagos State and APC chieftain).

Signed

For: International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law

Emeka Umeagbalasi (Criminologist), Board Chair @ Intersociety

Chidinma Udegbunam Esquire, Head, Campaign and Publicity Department @ Intersociety;

Ositadinma Agu, Head, Contacts and Mobilization Department @ Intersociety; and

Ndidiamaka Chinaza Bernard Esquire, Head, International Justice and Human Rights @ Intersociety.

Intersociety Contacts:
Phone/WhatsApp: +2348174090052

Email: info@intersociety-ng.org

Website: https://intersociety-ng.org

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