The Alliance for Credible Election (ACE-Nigeria) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reconstitute the board of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of measures to stem the rising wave of inconclusive elections in the country.
The acting general secretary of ACE-Nigeria, Comrade Mma Odi, who made the appeal in Abuja yesterday, at a joint meeting with the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) and the Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), also called for a review of the electoral laws in the country to avoid losing democratic gains ahead of the 2019 elections.
“Inconclusive elections have now become the new trend rather than the exception as witnessed in Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun, FCT, Imo and Nasarawa on the ground of margin of lead, violence and security threat.
“Inconclusive elections are fast becoming a threat to the hard won Nigeria’s democracy. The scale of inconclusive elections, after the 2015 elections, is high and growing. The phenomenon, if unchecked, will lead to loss of confidence on INEC, the disempowerment of voters and the destruction of the gains made during the tenure of Prof. Attahiru Jega,” Odi said.
She said the “refusal” of President Buhari to reconstitute the INEC board since coming to power in May, 2015 despite repeated calls from civil societies and other Nigerians, constitute a breach of established laws and that that was impacting negatively on INEC and its activities.
She also said the disputed Imo North senatorial re-run and the postponement of Rivers State senatorial elections, are signs that all was not well and that the bad days were back whenever the discussion was electoral contest.
“We urge INEC to end inconclusive elections, plan for and ensure free, fair and credible elections in the remaining re-run polls, as well as Edo and Ondo states governorship elections,” she said.
DAILY TRUST
