NHRC to invite Gov Bello, MC Oluomo over alleged inciting comments

The National Human Rights Commission has said it will invite Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the Chairman of Lagos State Parks Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, for questioning.

It explained that this followed their behaviours and alleged inciting comments during the 2023 general election.

The PUNCH reports that a day before the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, Bello allegedly ordered bulldozers to demarcate a road linking Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The move was seen as an alleged ploy to prevent officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission from taking election materials to the stronghold of his political rival, and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

On his part, MC Oluomo was alleged to have warned the Igbo in Lagos to stay indoors, if they would not vote for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the All Progressives Congress on March 18. MC Oluomo has however debunked this.

Answering questions from journalists after reading its preliminary statement of the 2023 Governorship and State Assembly elections on Sunday, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said, “We are monitoring the cyber space to track hate speeches and cyber bullying. Part of the sources of our information is the cyber space. We’ll invite MC Oluomo for questioning because his statement is worrisome. I listened to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State yesterday, (Saturday), and he said they were investigating the matter. But that will not stop the Commission from carrying out its mandate. We will also invite Kogi State governor for questioning over what happened in Kogi State.”

He said the preliminary report highlighted key findings from monitoring over 1,300 polling units by the commission’s staff and reports, and complaints received from Nigerians in its Human Rights Situation Room.

He added that the Commission during the election monitored issues relating to the conduct of law enforcement and security personnel, hate speech, election related Sexual and Gender Based Violence and vote buying.

Ojukwu said, “In Lagos, Enugu, Ebonyi and a few other states, there were threats of violence on opposition supporters, including the use of traditional institutions, schools and the public service. The advisory highlighted areas of concern for the Commission and recommended steps to be taken by the various agencies to address the issues before, during and after the elections.

“Compared to the Presidential and National Assembly election of February 25, the Governorship and House of ASsembly elections witnessed a low voter turnout. In states like Niger, Kwara, Benue and Kogi, the turnout was abysmally low, and in almost all the southeastern states, low turnout was also recorded.”