A Civil Society Organisation, Network of Democratic Watchdogs of Nigeria, on Monday, called on politicians to defend Nigeria’s democracy rather than truncating it.
The Coordinator of the group, Chijioke Onyekaonwu, made the call at a news conference, with the theme: “The Role of Civil Society in Sustaining Democracy” in Abuja.
Onyekaonu said that the call had become imperative because of the desperate moves by some politicians to occupy political offices at all cost, at the detriment of the nation’s democracy.
“The defence of our democracy is not only sacrosanct but a responsibility for all men of goodwill.
“It is a fact if I say that the survival of our nascent democracy will be highly jeopardised if the electioneering process is marred by corruption, deceit and bribery, thereby breeding injustice and political instability.
The election management is agreeably the most sensitive process in a democracy and it is expected that the umpire shouldered with such important and sensitive responsibility must have transparency and rule of law as his or her beacon.
“This is in order to produce a credible outcome or result,’’ he said.
Onyekaonu also called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no to consent to the scheming of politicians to declare them as winners of elections which neither won nor emerged as candidates from their parties.
The coordinator stressed the need for not allowing personal interest override public interest, adding “we, as watchdogs of democracy, cannot sit by and watch democratic principles truncated by anyone, no matter how highly placed.’’
He commended the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the principal officers of the Ninth National Assembly for what he called their resilience, transparency, commitment and standing for justice and rule of law.
Dr Nwambu Gabriel, a Co-convener of the conference, also quoted Section 285(13) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as stating “that no tribunal or court shall declare any person winner of an election when he has not participated in all the stages of that election”.
Gabriel said that if this was allowed to play out, justice would be denied and this might truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
He urged Nigerians to allow justice to prevail in the nation’s electoral system. (NAN)
