By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
With the 2023 General Elections fast approaching, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) have pointedly told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Nigerians will not accept excuses of the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voting Accreditation System (BVAS) machines or devices deployed for the country’s national elections next year.
Ms Ene Obi of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room gave this warning on Thursday at the
Public Presentation of the INEC 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (SP) and 2023 Election Project Plan (EPP) held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels, Abuja.
According to her the 2023 general elections will be too crucial to Nigeria and Nigerians that INEC can afford to make mistakes, pointing out that Nigerians tolerate any laxity on the side of the electoral umpire.
She said: “INEC Chairman and his team are doing great job especially with the introduction of technology to conduct elections in Nigeria. We all saw how the Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) devices helped in the conduct of the Anambra election although there were some glitches which were also noticed during the FCT Area Council Election”.
“But 2023 will not be a time the Commission will say BVAS devices are not working. Nigerians will not accept the excuse from INEC hence those of us in the CSO are telling INEC to ensure that BVAS or whatever technology they will deploy for the conduct of 2023 general elections work perfectly for Nigerians.
Obi who was given the chance to speak for the coalition of the CSOs at the event by veteran activist Barrister Clement Nwankwo, however asked that women should be remembered for appointments into the Commission.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has frowned over several judicial pronouncements on electoral matters which have tried to erode the powers of INEC, saying such actions are inimical to the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
IPAC National Chairman, Engineer Yabagi Yusuf Sani, who said this at the same event in Abuja while delivering IPAC goodwill message, posited that INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu should be commended for the his innovative acumen which has seen the Commission introduced many technological devices to improve electoral processes in Nigeria.
According to him, IPAC is pleased with the way Yakubu has piloted the affairs of INEC, pointing out that “the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (SP) and 2023 Election Project Plan (EPP) is a product of a careful research and deliberate efforts to deepen democracy in Nigeria “
Sani called on all other stakeholders to rally round INEC in ensuring that Nigeria’s electoral processes are close to what obtains in the advanced democracies.
However, the IPAC Chairman has berated the judiciary for what he called the usurpation of the constitutional powers of INEC to declare the winners of elections in Nigeria.
Said he: “IPAC has observed that the judiciary has not impressed with some of its pronouncements. By this we mean the judiciary should be upright.There is a pressing need for the judiciary to stay away from declaring winners of elections”.
“The typical example of the usurpation of the constitutional powers of INEC was what happened in Imo state. Election was conducted by INEC, it was concluded peacefully, results announced and winner declared by INEC but surprisingly months after the judiciary upturned the result of the election and declared someone else the winner of that election which local and international observers certified credible”.
