CSOs berate plan to mar 2019 elections

A Civil Society Group, The Coalition of Pro-democracy groups in Nigeria has berated the current administration of an attempt to mar the credibility of the 2019 elections.

The Chairman of the Group, Prince Abiodun Bashorun made this known to journalists at a world press conference held yesterday in Lagos.

Prince Abiodun called on patriotic Nigerian Democrats to ensure that enviable and concrete steps are taken to halt this plan and uphold democracy in high esteem.

“The Coalition fears that if urgent steps by the incumbent administration, whose entire body languages, now suggest desperations often associated with the end of unpopular regimes.

“As stakeholders in the Nigerian democracy, we are apprehensive that there is a grand design by some in the incumbent administration of President Buhari to halt a peaceful elections, judging by its refusal to give the needed support, to preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and other institutions, that can guarantee a free and fair election come 2019.

“The Multilateral Session of our coalition, therefore wish to alert Nigerians and the international community of the following critical points threatening the successful conduct of free and fair general elections next year,” he stated.

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The Group, therefore, called on President Muhammad Buhari to turn deaf ears to political jobbers and immediately sign the Electoral Act into law if truly he is a patriotic leader.

“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to shun the counsel of political jobbers and immediately sign into law as amended, the Electoral act, if indeed he wants to stamp his mark on the country’s history as a true patriot and democrat.

Failing which, the National Assembly is hereby called upon to override the President’s veto and proceed to pass the amended Electoral Act into law.

Meanwhile, The Group said that the increasing rate of insecurity in the country calls for a serious attention as the killings have taken the lives of Nigerians who could have contributed immensely to the development of the country

“The increasing rate of insecurity in the country with the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks and killings in Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and other States as well as the herdsmen carnages which has practically rendered States like Benue and Plateau as failed institutions call for serious concern.

“The Coalition asserts, that the Presidency and the Federal Government are liable for these incidences as virtually all the heads of security apparatus in the country are hand-picked from a section of the country and are seemingly shielding perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity,” the Group added.