CSOs ask President Buhari to decline assent to Electoral Bill

The coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the Electoral Bill, 2021 into law, over various infractions embedded in the proposed bill.

A spokesperson for the 124 CSOs, Mrs Vivian Bellonwu of Social Action who expressed grave displeasure over the ‘Orchestrated plot to circumvent free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria, through the truncation of electronic votes transmission’, also called for the arrest and prosecution of the officials of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) for misleading the House and indeed Nigerians during his presentation when invited by the leadership of the House of Representatives to provide necessary information on electronic transmission of election results in the forthcoming elections.

The Coalition was led by China Williams of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria; Steven Obodoekwe of Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development and Jaye Gaskia of Campaign for Transformative Governance.

Worried by the crises trailing certain provisions in the bill, the Coalition urged that: “Mr President should only give assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 after the deletion of the proviso to Section 52(2) that requires transmission of election results by INEC to be subjected to the clearance of N CC and NASS since that fly on the face of every known norm or practice in any electoral process globally especially as it erodes the independence of INEC and will ultimately lead to electoral crises which he must not allow to happen.
“The deletion of Section 65 that has removed the powers of INEC to review results declared under duress or in contravention of electoral law and guidelines.

“The deletion of Section 88 which has completely monetized the democratic process as only moneybags can contest elections in Nigeria as campaign expenses for the Presidential election has been increased from N1 billion to N15 billion; the governorship election, from N200 million to N5 billion; Senate poll, from N40 million to N1.5 billion: House of Representatives, from N50 million to N500 million; and the State House of Assembly election, from N10 million to N50 million. In a country where the national minimum wage is N30,000 and the stupendously rich who may have stolen public funds or sponsored by drug barons can run for public offices.”

While frowning at the ongoing moves by the members of the National Assembly and other anti-democratic elements from shutting out women from participating in politics, the Coalition issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police to arrest the erring NCC officials and others involved in frustrating the proposed Electoral Reforms.

“Events in the legislative chambers of our dear country in the recent past, particularly in the regards of elections and electoral processes have put a dire burden on all men and women of goodwill in this country, as well as organizations to act and take steps to checkmate what could aptly be designated as the most potent and hugest threat to transparent and credible polls in Nigeria, today.

“The reason or reasons for this are clear; credible elections not just elections, are at the heart of democracy and so does any threat to this portend not just great danger, but the risk to the sustenance of the said democracy. This threat cum risk patently extends to the stability, peace, and security of the country itself.

“The orchestrated plot against the electronic transmission of votes in Nigeria by anti-democratic elements who have no iota of love or interest of Nigeria or the common man at heart and being arrow-headed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is a case in point that aptly captures this threat-scenario.

“Nigerians watched in awe as officials of the NCC, including ranking ones; its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umaru Danbatta and Executive Director, Maska Ubiale, who ordinarily were expected to know better and act with a greater sense of responsibility and patriotism, took to the floor of the National Assembly to unleash a rehearse of groundless fabrications, deliberate falsehoods, including self-contradictions with the sole purpose of taking down proposed electronic transmission of votes, a key and critical element pivotal to credible elections in Nigeria and of which the National Assembly had slated for deliberation and passage.

“The NCC officials, in their blind quest to achieve their insidious agenda, contradicted all factual and evidential prognosis, data, etc that clearly point to the fact that electoral votes can be effectively transmitted electronically.

“The benefits of electronic transmission of votes cannot be overemphasized, they are as myriad as they are profound; transmitting votes electronically drastically reduces credibility issues associated with manual transmission of voting tallies during elections; it reduces costs in very significant levels and same as associated risks to persons including Ad-hoc and officials handling manual transmission.

“All over the globe, countries and enduring democracies have toed this line of practice. Here in Nigeria, the electoral body INEC has courageously stated that votes can be transmitted electronically and that it has the capacity to carry out this. This stance was declared after due and exhaustive synergetic works and consultations with all machinery and entities relevant to the process including, the NCC itself.

“It is, therefore, the height of perfidy for the Vice Chairman of NCC, in collusion with the Commission’s Executive Director and other officials of the NCC to embark on deliberate falsehood, hoodwink and mislead of gullible lawmakers and by extension Nigerians on the electronic transmission of votes in Nigeria, up to the point of the Commission over-reaching itself even on verifiable facts as on broadband penetration, etc that are within public domain cum knowledge, all in a bid to satisfy certain entrenched political interests.

“What the NCC officials have done is a huge betrayal of public trust and therefore criminal. They have also treated the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under which they swore on oath of honesty before the floor of the NASS, with contempt and scorn. Both are serious infractions that need be held to account,” Mrs Bellonwu stressed.

To this end, the Coalition tasked National Assembly to blacklist the NCC officials who colluded and presented falsified information and falsehoods to mislead it on a matter as critical to sustainable democracy and national stability as the electronic transmission of electoral votes.

They also tasked the Inspector General of Police promptly sets in motion, machinery to arrest, investigate and prosecute all the NCC officials who participated in this ignominious perfidy at the floor of the National Assembly including the arrowhead Mr Ubiale Manzo. This action should be extended to any other external collaborators who participated in this criminal plot.

The Coalition however issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police, as from today, t carry out the above duty, failure of which Nigerians will be mobilized across all divides to promptly pursue other course or courses within our powers as citizens of this country to compel him to act as should.

While expressing optimism that the adoption of electronic transmission of election results will ensure free, fair and credible elections in the country, as well as repose public confidence in the outcomes of electoral processes, the Coalition urged INEC to ignore all the orchestrations of anti-democratic shenanigans and courageously dedicate itself to conducting a free, fair and credible election and importantly transmit voters tallies electronically as they have the backing of Nigerian Citizens.

The Coalition which stressed that Nigerians have known “who their real enemies are” called for mass mobilization against all their representatives that voted against electronic transmission of vote tallies.”

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buhari Urges MTN For Quality Service, Downward Price Review In Cost Of Data, Other Services

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers…  CSOs ask President Buhari to decline assent to Electoral bill  ;  CSOs ask President Buhari to decline assent to Electoral bill ;  CSOs ask President Buhari to decline assent to Electoral bill  ;  CSOs ask President Buhari to decline assent to Electoral bill.