2023: A’Ibom group cautions against hate speeches, insists on electronic transmission of results

AHEAD of next year’s election, the Uyo Senatorial District Media Practitioners Forum (USDMPF), has cautioned political parties, their candidates and supporters against hate speeches and other acts capable of undermining the electoral process in the state.

The group, which is made up of media practitioners from Uyo senatorial district of the state where Pastor Umo Eno, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state hails from, called on political actors to play by the rule and promote issue- based campaigns.

The group has also hailed the Mahmood Yakubu- led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the many reforms he had brought to bear in the electoral body with the aim of strengthening the nation’s democratic process.

In an exclusive interaction with Nigerian Tribune at the weekend, the  chairman of the group, Elder Ofonime Isong, said agitations from those he described as mischievous elements were disturbing, putting pressure on INEC to discard the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of results in the 2023 general election.

Describing the action as distractive, Isong commended Professor  Yakubu and INEC for the introduction of BVAS during the Osun and Ekiti elections, which he noted, has significantly improved the credibility of the elections and put perennial problems associated with snatching of result sheets and changing of results at collation centres to rest.

According to him, USDMPF wants the success story of the use of BVAS and electronic transmission of results replicated in the 2023 general election.

“Following the timetable issued by  INEC, the political season is here again in Nigeria and political parties have since commenced their usual and contingent activities towards a good outing in the February 2023 general election.

“USDMPF, consistent with our avowed objectives, among which was to ensure that we collaborate with like minded organisations,  Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Groups (CSOs) and institutions of state to ensure the conduct of a free, fair and credible polls as well as work to guarantee peace before, during and after the elections have watched with keen interest the political developments in our country in general and Akwa Ibom State in particular.

“We commend the Professor Yakubu- led INEC  for so far demonstrating neutrality in the conduct of  its constitutionally prescribed duties and charge the commission and  its agents to maintain this path to ensure the integrity of the exercise  and that the votes of the people count.’’

“Elder Isong said the Forum was disturbed by calls from some groups for the sack of  Professor Yakubu and the pressure on the electoral umpire to discard the use of BVAS and the electronic transmission of results in the 2023 general election.

“While we condemn  such distractions, we heartily commend Professor Yakubu and INEC for the introduction of BVAS in the Osun, Anambra and Ekiti elections, which has been able to improve the credibility of the elections, as perennial problems associated with snatching of result sheets and changing of results at collation centres has been solved. This should be replicated in the 2023  general election  and whatever grey areas that were observed in the test runs should be corrected,” he  said.

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The group equally lauded the peace accord signed by the  18 political parties standing election for various elective positions in the forthcoming election, as put together by the National Peace Committee (NPC) co-chaired by  a former Head of State, General  Abdulsalami Abubakar,  the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Bishop Hassan Kukah and other eminent statesmen with the objective of supporting efforts at ensuring free, fair and credible elections, and tasked candidates of the various political parties and their supporters to ensure that the peace accord is honoured   before, during and after the election.

The group particularly praised Governor Udom Emmanuel for his broad- minded agenda of political inclusion in the state, saying it is pleased with the governor’s deliberate pursuit of peace, security and stability in the state, noting that there was  the need for the sustenance of the peace and development process beyond 2023.

Mr Isong hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment towards free, fair and credible electoral process.

“The peaceful disposition of Governor Udom Emmanuel and the state-wide advocacy for peace through the Maintain Peace Movement has no doubt ,created public awareness and mobilised the citizens and residents of the state to accept peace as the minimum prerequisite for growth and prosperity. We must consolidate this gain,” he stressed.