Don’t relent, continue quest for new Nigeria, observer group tells Nigerians

Forum 1 year ago

Don’t relent, continue quest for new Nigeria, observer group tells Nigerians

An election observer group, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, CTA, has appealed to Nigerians, especially the youths not to relent in their quest for a new Nigeria following the outcome of last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

This came as it regretted that Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC field and electoral officers at the local government area level were setting the clock of Nigeria’s democracy back due to their fraudulent activities in connivance with dubious politicians.

The centre,at a press conference, Friday,in Abuja,demanded that the role of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners should be interrogated as according to it,some of them are alleged to be partisan and in connivance with politicians to derail due process.

The group, speaking through its Executive Director,Faith Nwadishi, at the third press conference on the observation of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, however,called on aggrieved political parties to seek redress in courts and should not heat up the polity by using inciting words that may lead to breach of peace.

It noted that violence of any mode should not be encouraged, saying “we can only have one country that belongs to all of us.”

Nwadishi said:”The CTA calls on Nigerians especially the youth not to relent but to continue in the march for a new Nigeria were due process is followed, towards the attainment of a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election.

“We call on aggrieved political parties to seek redress in courts and should not heat up the polity by using inciting words that may lead to breach of peace. Violence of any mode should not be encouraged. We can only have one country that belongs to all of us.

“The CTA calls on INEC to walk through its talk. That INEC should follow through its guidelines on elections in order not to create the impression of being compromised or partial.

“That INEC should have conducted fresh election in areas where the rescheduled elections did not hold as was announced by INEC due to voter suppression, voters intimidations and violence also where materials arrived late making it impossible for elections to hold in those areas as scheduled.

“INEC should as a matter of priority, set up an enquiry to investigate its staff especially some Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Electoral Officers at the LGAs, supervisory presiding officers and dubious adhoc staff. We ask that all those involved in electoral malpractice should be arrested, prosecuted and punished adequately. This will serve as a deterrent.

“INEC should have the political will to cleanse itself of these putrid impurities that has cast doubts to its integrity and neutrality. The use of B-VAS for upload of polling unit results should be used in the March 11, 2023 Governorship and States Houses of Assembly elections.

“Politicians who feel aggrieved should seek legal means for redress and not heat up the polity by making inciting statements and sponsoring crowds to protest.”

It also tasked security agencies to investigate and prosecute officers and men found wanting in the breach of electoral laws.

The group implored Nigerians to be patient and be vigilant as the elections are not yet over.

” March 11, 2023 is the Governorship and States House of Assembly Elections. Do not be discouraged, go out and vote for candidates of your choice. we believe that INEC will do the right thing. We urge all stakeholders to continue to conduct themselves in a peaceful and responsible manner. Specifically, we call on INEC to hold itself to the highest level of neutrality and accountability and re assure Nigerians that Osun and Ekiti can be replicated in the forth coming Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

“CTA shall be observing the governorship and house of assembly elections and calls on all stakeholders to ensure that the elections are peaceful,”she said.

CTA which said INEC field and electoral officers were complicit in election results manipulation,noted that,” These set of Nigerians have always set the clock of democracy back due to their fraudulent activities in connivance with dubious politicians.”

“The role of Resident Electoral Commissioners at this time should be interrogated as some of them are alleged to be partisan and in connivance with politicians to derail due process

“You may recall that CTA and other CSOs condemned the appointment of some partisan Resident Electoral commissioners leading up to the election.

” It appears that these set of INEC officials habitually work at variance with set guidelines and orders from the INEC headquarters. It was alleged that they hoarded result sheets and gave them out to highest bidders who apparently used the result sheets to tamper with actual outcomes of polls from the polling units.

It was also alleged that these same group of INEC staff hoarded the codes and access to the B-VAS hence the non-transmission of results from the polling units as stipulated by law. This is unacceptable and should be discouraged,”she said.