According to a press release by lawyer and activist, Mr Festus Keyamo, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mohammed Katsina, ordered the arrest and detention of 120 accredited independent national electoral commission observers who are to observe the Anambra State Governorship election taking place this Saturday. Find the press release below...

We have been briefed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of the following facts:

1. That on Monday, 11th of November, 2013, and Tuesday, 12th of November, 2013, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted training for accredited independent election observers who are to observe the Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday, 16th November, 2013.

2. That on Thursday, November 14th, 2013, the accredited observers who participated in the training above, met at Disyne Hotel located at Owerri, Imo State, for further training of their members ahead of the Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday, 16th November, 2013.

3. That to the utmost dismay of the innocent and patriotic election observers, at about 2:00pm, the hotel where they were undergoing training was surrounded by heavily armed police officers acting on the instruction of Mohammed Katsina, Commissioner of Police, Imo State, who arrested the entire 120 persons undergoing training.

5. That the entire accredited observers are currently in detention at the Imo State Police Command for no offence.

We however, cannot fathom or comprehend the rationale behind the actions or decisions of Mohammed Katsina, Commissioner of Police, Imo State, mentioned above, as same are totally untenable in a civilized and democratic society.

We cannot imagine why accredited election observers, who were specifically trained by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, to observe/monitor the Anambra State gubernatorial election, should be arrested and detained less than 24 hours to the election.

We think that this is one of the grand plots to rig the Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for tomorrow by crippling genuine election observers and allowing fake observers to observe the process.

In the light of the above, we call on the Inspector General of Police to order the immediate release of the 120 accredited independent election observers currently in detention at the Imo State Police Command so they can perform their patriotic duties tomorrow.

Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.

^^^ But why train them in IMO state when the election is to hold in Anambra state.

The truth is, these guys were being trained to cause mayhem and how to snatch ballot boxes.

Kudos to the police force.

Observers with fake id card and voting materials, even a gun.i use to respect keyamo but
inec conducted training for observers earlier in the week and issued them cards.so i dont know why people like to run around truth
inec trains observers and not party because observers are non govermental and civil societies.parties only train their agents

Okay

And we should get something straight here.
Observers are not party agents.observers are non-govermental organisations that monitors the conduct while agents are found in each polling boots representing each party.
Again i ask when did political parties become observers
please i need answers because am confuse here

A grand scheme paid and facilitated by Fidelity Bank.

egift: A grand scheme paid and facilitated by Fidelity Bank.

please explain more because it seems like fidelity bank also paid keyamo because he admitted that they are apc guys

Dereformer: ^^^ But why train them in IMO state when the election is to hold in Anambra state.

The truth is, these guys were being trained to cause mayhem and how to snatch ballot boxes.

Kudos to the police force.

You dey mind them, even if the election will be conducted by Angels, I don't see how APC will trounce PDP or APGA this is something Ngige, Tinubu and their supporters should know by now...........

nedufantasy: And we should get something straight here.
Observers are not party agents.observers are non-govermental organisations that monitors the conduct while agents are found in each polling boots representing each party.
Again i ask when did political parties become observers
please i need answers because am confuse here

I am still confused. People are just arguing blindly. Observers and agents are different. When did APC become non-partisan? Because that is what Observers are.

I now understand why the large number of armoury are being used for the elections. The era of rigging is over. Thank God for the Internet.

Dereformer: ^^^ But why train them in IMO state when the election is to hold in Anambra state.

The truth is, these guys were being trained to cause mayhem and how to snatch ballot boxes.

Kudos to the police force.

Do those boys and ladies in the picture look like people to cause mayhem? Why would 180 people who want to cause mayhem come from Yoruba land to Ibo land to cause mayhem? No Yoruba would come from Yoruba land to do such thing in Ibo land.

nedufantasy: And we should get something straight here.
Observers are not party agents.observers are non-govermental organisations that monitors the conduct while agents are found in each polling boots representing each party.
Again i ask when did political parties become observers
please i need answers because am confuse here

Thank you Nedu. Some dimwits can defend the undefendable. Tufia

Stale news this is the real news here
www.channelstv.com/home/2013/11/15/police-arrests-181-fake-election-observers-in-anambra/

automaticcars:


Do those boys and ladies in the picture look like people to cause mayhem? Why would 180 people who want to cause mayhem come from Yoruba land to Ibo land to cause mayhem? No Yoruba would come from Yoruba land to do such thing in Ibo land.

Observers are non-partisan, hope you know that? How come APC are crying for their release as if they were sent by them? Reason with your brains sir! We are not fools here! Observers my foot!