The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly denounced the act of stripping one of its National Commissioners naked in Adamawa State after the illegal declaration of a winner by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) during the supplementary governorship election on Sunday. A video that has gone viral shows the National Commissioner (whose name was withheld) being stripped by unknown persons.
LEADERSHIP reports that the victim was apparently mistaken for the REC, Ari Hudu.
Meanwhile, reacting to the sad development, the national commissioner and chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Barr. Festus Okoye, said the Commission will not allow that to stand.
According to him, “A National Commissioner cannot be treated as a common criminal, a former vice chancellor of Usman Danfodio University was stripped naked and dragged, this Commission will not allow that to stand.”
In the viral video, the attackers communicated in Hausa language and rarely spoke English.
The victim was asked to tell the truth to save his life. “Tell us the truth and we will spare your life,” one of the men said in a commanding tone.
Another person ordered the elderly man to “put on your trouser”, to which the electoral official shook his head and mumbled some inaudible words.
“We will help you if you tell us the truth,” another interrogator said.
A background voice was later heard saying, “This is not the INEC REC. He is a national officer.”
