Members of the House of Representatives were on Tuesday, divided along political party lines, when a motion seeking the investigation of outcome of the recently concluded gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.
In a motion jointly sponsored by Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Hon. Solomon Bob, the lawmakers prayed the House to constitute a joint committee on Police Affairs, Army, Justice, Electoral Matters and Human Rights to Investigate the pre and post election security breaches in Kogi and Bayelsa, including the alleged presence of fake police officers and unmitigated violence during the election and make recommendations for further legislative action.
The motion sparked argument, as some members opposed it on the premise that it was a past event into which President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered investigation.
But sensing the divergent position of members, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, cautioned that if the motion was taken, the joint committee must ensure that no political party was indicted in its report, as it was expected to be a fact-finding mission, and recommendations for possible legislative interventions.
Sponsors of the motion said, “Reports released by Civil Society Organisations that security officials were complicit in the violence and disruption that characterized the Kogi and Bayelsa elections”, adding that Governor Seriake Dickson reported that soldiers were deployed to Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
“In spite of massive deployment of security personnel coupled with the intelligence reports, the elections witnessed such degree of violence resulting in the death of one Mrs. Salome Abuh.”
