SERAP asks Buhari to probe attack on Peter Obi

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba to probe the attack on Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP.

The rights organisation also called for the investigation of other cases of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country.

The former Anambra governor was reportedly pelted with stones as he made his way to the airport after a rally in Katsina State.

SERAP said the attack came on the heels of 339 reported incidents of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence recorded in 2022.

SERAP demanded that IGP Baba and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, name and prosecute culpable politicians and other perpetrators of violence.

An open letter on Sunday by Deputy Director, SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare also charged Buhari to caution governors to end reported suppression of campaigns of opposition parties within their states.

The body believes going tough on the issue would stop further violence, facilitate free and fair elections, and encourage Nigerians to freely exercise their right to vote.

Oluwadare said free and fair elections mean polls conducted under conditions that enable voters to cast their votes as they wish without facing intimidation or violence before, during and after elections.

SERAP threatened to sue the president and compel relevant agencies to comply with its request if he fails to act.

The letter added that government has the responsibility to take concrete actions “to hold governors to account for any infractions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and international human rights obligations.