The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties to desist from attacking and destroying its staff and equipment or risks being blacklisted.
Last week in Kaduna the north west zone congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was attacked by unknown hoodlums who destroyed election materials and chased delagates for the congress away.
The INEC said it has observed how recurrent acrimony, violence, and destruction of property, including the Commission’s property and equipment, have characterized congresses of political parties in Nigeria.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said in a statement on Monday in Abuja, that violence was preventing the commission from carrying out responsibility.
He said; “This is the season of political party congresses and conventions to elect their leaders at various levels of party organization and INEC is mandated by law to monitor them. These meetings constitute a very important aspect of the electoral process and democracy generally in Nigeria.”