By Adekunle Williams
A Coalition of Pro-democracy Organisations in Nigeria, has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s plans to transmit the results of the Nov.11 Bayelsa governorship election manually.
The group said this in a statement jointly signed by Mr Olufemi Lawson, the National Secretary, Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Mr Atani John, the Niger Delta Democratic Vanguard in Lagos on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Coalition of Pro-democracy Organisations in Nigeria is an amalgamation of groups committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in the electoral process.
The coalition said that it took the decision to challenge INEC plans after a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
It said that planned manual transmission of results for the governorship election, was an attempt at allowing desperate politicians to manipulate the will of the electorate during the election.
The group said that it believed that the integrity and credibility of any election depended on the transparency of the electoral process, including the accurate and timely transmission of results.
“Electronic transmission of results is a vital component of ensuring the authenticity and fairness of elections, and its abandonment would undermine the trust of the electorate, Nigerians and the international community in the electoral process.
“The use of technology in the transmission of election results has proven to be a valuable tool in reducing electoral fraud, promoting accountability, and delivering more accurate and timely results to the public.
“It enhances the transparency of the electoral process and minimizes the potential for manipulation or tampering with results at various stages.
“We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconsider its proposal and uphold the principles of transparency and accountability in the Bayelsa State Governorship Election.
“We call on INEC to ensure that the electronic transmission of results is not only maintained but also improved upon to guarantee the credibility of the electoral process,” the group said.
It said as critical stakeholders, it was committed to monitoring the Bayelsa Election closely, adding that the coalition would continue to advocate for transparency, fairness, and the highest standards of integrity in the electoral process.
The group called on all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organisations, and the international community, to join hands in safeguarding the integrity of this critical election.
It urged the people to rise and safeguard democracy, and avoid the a rape of democracy.
The INEC Balyesa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mr Obo Effanga had on Wednesday stated that the results of the state governorship election would be transmitted manually.
(NAN)
