By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Consultative Front, NCFront and other stakeholders have vowed to resist the resolution of the National Assembly resolution on electronic transmission of election results.
This was made known in a statement by the
Head, Public Affairs Bureau, Tanko Yunusa, on Thursday and made available to Newsdiaryonline.
This is coming on the heels of the controversy over electronic transmission of election results that played out at the National Assembly on Thursday which the NCFront and other concerned citizens of the country termed to be a plot by the ruling powers to scuttle the country’s democracy and the popular will of Nigerians.
Yunusa therefore stated that the NCFront has resolved to convene stakeholders across party lines, civil society organizations, intending presidential candidates come 2023 among other stakeholders for a major rally against the NASS resolution next week at the nation’s capital, Abuja.
He stated,”Concerned by today’s trickish and mercurial resolutions of the national assembly on electronic transmission of election results and and their vehement opposition to popular demand for diaspora voting, the National Consultative Front, NCFront of Leaders of Conscience is compelled to intervene to convene a major coalition of Former and Aspiring Presidential Candidates, inclusive of top political leaders and stakeholders in the country across Party lines against the thickening plot by the ruling powers to scuttle popular will of Nigerians for Electronic Transmission of results and Diaspora Voting in the pending electoral act, 2021.
“To this end, the NCFront has resolved to mobilse and rally all concerned stakeholders to converge on the nations capital next week for a major national consultation and political rally.
“Those expected at this all important parley and rally to save Nigeria from perpetual rigging circles of elections are Top political Leaders and stakeholders, including former and intending Presidential Candidates, Party and Political Leaders, Labour and Civil Society Activists, Youth and Women Leaders, among others for urgent formidable action to effect popular, inclusive and generally acceptable amendments to the the electoral act with the aim of saving Nigeria’s nascent Democracy.
“Consequently, the NCfront is inviting like-minded Concerned Stakeholders, Politicians, Civil Society Activists, Leaders of Political Parties, including their Presidential Candidates, eminent Nigerians, including religious leaders, leaders of youths, women and vulnerable persons groups to ensure that the 2023 elections witnessed a credible electronic transmission of results and Diaspora Voting among other popular yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians to safeguard the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
“The Front is therefore not in doubt that it is time for all concerned Nigerians and political Stakeholders, irrespective of their divide and affinity to come together to demand for a formidable, inclusive, improved and sustainable electoral act that can build the trust and confidence of Nigerians in the electoral system as it pertains to the fast approaching 2023 elections so as to give Nigerians the opportunity and desired voting leverage to elect their leaders across board for the FIRST TIME because Nigeria, as things stand today, Nigeria can not afford to hay any other sham elections to exacerbate the present insecurity and political agitations and tension in the country.
“However, in taking up this historical challenge of rallying all concerned forces to come together and salvage the situation, It is the considered view of our Front that Nigerians especially the principal characters in this amendment process especially in the Legislative and Executive arms of government and the leadership of INEC need to understand that they can not afford to be blinded by the immediate percuniary benefits of just winning elections for the perks and juice of office outside the genuine endorsement of the citizens and electorate.
“Consequently, we wish to strongly demand that Section 3 (3) of the proposed electoral act, which deals with INEC finance, section 50(2), which touches on electronic elections, including electronic accreditation, electronic voting, electronic counting and electronic collation and electronic transmission of results simultaneously from every polling unit, Ward collation center, LGA collation center, State collation center to all zonal, states and National collation center/ situation rooms.
“Section (65), which borders on announcement of results under duress, Section (76), which addresses the issue of political party registration, section (88), which refers to party funding and the current political normadism and carpet crossing, as well as the emergent yearning for diaspora voting should be revisited so as to save the integrity of the Nigerian electoral process and prevent political anarchy and the imminent collapse of Democratic rule in Nigeria.”
