Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, and other prominent Nigerians including Professor Pat Utomi, Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekome (SAN), Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, and Dr Ezeife, former Governor of the old Anambra State amongst others converged in Abuja at the weekend for a National Political summit to commemorate the Nation’s 61st Independence Day Anniversary Celebration and drummed support for the electronic transmission of election results in future elections in the country.
The National Political Summit, with the theme: Restoring the Legitimacy of the Nigerian State: The Imperative of Electronic Transmission of Results was organized by the National Consultative Front (NCF).
They unanimously agreed that the only solution to free, fair, and credible elections in the country come 2023 was for the INEC as an Independent body to go ahead to apply the necessary provisions of the 1999 Constitution(as amended) by adopting the option without waiting for any further approval by the National Assembly since the generality of Nigerians actually supported it and the nation’s constitution had given the body the independent Powe to conduct Elections in the country without any interference from any quarters
They pointed out that with the body language of both Chambers of the National Assembly, the ongoing Electoral Bill Amendment which would accommodate the Electronic Transmission of Election results would never see the light of the day before the next general elections because of their vest interests.
While delivering his keynote address, Prof Jega the Co-Chairman of the group called on the National Assembly to speed work on the Electoral Bill Amendment to allow for Electronic Transmission of Election results ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to him, “Transmission of election results has been one of the key areas in which reckless, unpatriotic, and self-serving politicians have undermined the integrity of the Nigerian electoral process
“Bringing remarkable integrity to the Nigerian electoral process, therefore, would no doubt require the jettisoning of the traditional obtuse manual transmission of results, and its replacement with using appropriate technology with electronic transmission of results
“Globally, this has been proven to add remarkable value to the integrity of elections, the quality of citizens choices in elections, and the minimization of litigation and conflicts associated with electoral outcomes
“Hence, electronic transmission of results also, ultimately, enhances the quality of governance by improving the responsibility and responsiveness of elected officials who would be compelled to see citizens votes and choices as truly counting in determining electoral outcomes
“It is, therefore, necessary that all patriotic citizens work together to draw the attention of the members of the national assembly to respect Nigerians’ demand for electronic transmission of results and effect necessary reforms to
the electoral legal framework to bring this about. The time to do this is now. We must not lose this opportunity!!”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, on his part blamed the failure of the electoral system on Nigerians who “enthrone tyranny during elections for peanuts”.
According to him, “are we practising democracy? No. We are practicing election-ocracy, that is my new term for it. What do I mean’ bye-election-ocracy?’ Every four years, Nigerians go out to the poll to carry out a ritual of electing their leaders
“They never actually elect them anyway because their leaders select themselves, they will just ensure that the results are declared in their favour after which they will go and defend such results before the Election Tribunals and the Courts, that has been the case, they are state captors. They have captured the states.”
He submitted that there was no need for the INEC to be waiting for the approval of the National Assembly before adopting the electric transmission of Elections results as the Constitution had already empowered it to conduct Elections in the country independently.
In his remarks, a Political Economist, Professor Pat Utomi, proposed a solution – the merger of three political parties aside from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, “to project these desires, the comity of NCF front for political parties is proposing the merger of three of the leading political parties outside of the PDP and the APC to merge with a plan to absorb other parties and righteous wings of the APC and the PDP.”
On his own Chief Agbakoba expressed optimism that Nigeria would surely regain her lost glory in the comity of Nations as the introduction of electronic transmission of Elections results would usher in free, fair, and credible elections in the anal of the country.
Many of the participants believed that Nigerians must be ready to embrace the right motives of electing those that would lead them through a credible electoral process to ensure good governance in the country and urged Nigerians to be fully prepared for the possible occupation of the National Assembly should the Federal Lawmakers refused to the needful on the Electoral Bill Amendment which would allow for the electric transmission oil Elections results in the future Elections
In his remarks, the Local Organizing Secretary’s of the Group, Chief Olawale Okunniyi declared that the Group was committed to deepening the nation’s democracy which prompted it to organize the submit and expressed delight over the high turn out of participants.
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