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A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has raised the alarm over what it described as alleged plots to compromise the elections in Enugu State by the Labour Party using some top generals in the Nigerian Army just as it called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, to investigate and stop the professional misconduct.
HURIWA commended the Chief of Army Staff and heads of other security agencies who publicly warned their troops against succumbing to pressure from politicians to compromise the elections, calling on the army to operate within the confines of the law and stick to its standard operating procedure. HURIWA therefore stated that it expects the Army Chief to act decisively on the allegation in Enugu.
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This call by HURIWA came on the heels of a report that the Enugu State Labour Party has perfected plans to use some serving military officers, as well as retired military and police personnel led allegedly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s son in the military, Brigadier-General Olugbemi Obasanjo whom they allegedly influenced his recent posting to Enugu as the Garrison Commander of the 44 Engineers Brigade of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, to rig the governorship and state assembly elections in favour of Labour Party in Enugu North senatorial zone. HURIWA said although it is just a mere allegation, it is appealing to the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the groundswell of allegations against the Garrison Commander.
Reportedly, a source in the military who pleaded anonymity disclosed that Obasanjo’s son is working with Rtd Major General Chika Ezugwu from Obukpa and Rtd Major General Chris Eze from Udenu LGA who are alleged to be members of the Labour Party.
In addition, other serving and retired military officers and police personnel allegedly working for the Labour Party were said to be harassing, bullying and intimidating PDP members in their homes and hotels in Nsukka ahead of yesterday’s election.
In a press statement signed by the national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA decried the level of desperation by the Enugu Labour Party to win elections at all costs through military intimidations and harassment to get the result they want.
Describing the claims as weighty, HURIWA further called on the Army Chief to probe the allegation that the Labour Party influenced the posting of a compromised list of security personnel to Enugu North senatorial zone for the to rig the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections for the Labour Party in the zone.
