An emerging pan-Nigerian movement of eminent patriots and political leaders, National Consultative Front (NCFront), is set to rally political stakeholders, leaders of thought, civil society organisations and labour unions to converge on Abuja on October 1 for a non-partisan national summit on electoral reforms.
The movement said in a statement that the event, which it tagged National Intervention Summit, will also witness the launch of “a formidable national electoral alliance and coalition of all like-minded political stakeholders, leaders of thought, civil Society and labour leaders across sectional divide to mobilise Nigerians and pressurize the Nigerian government to adopt electronic transmission of election results for the 2023 elections.”
The event, themed ‘Restoring the Credibility of Nigerian Democracy and Legitimacy of the Nigerian State: The Imperative For the adoption of Electronic Transmission of Election Results in Nigeria’, will be co-chaired by the former INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega; and the former president of the Civil Liberties Organisation and Nigeria Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakoba SAN.
The statement, signed by NCFront’s Head, Public Affairs Bureau, Dr Tanko Yunusa, reads: “Universally, election is a major plank of democracy and if any electoral process is susceptible to rigging and malpractices, then such democracy loses its credibility and sanctity.
“It is for this reason that we as leaders of conscience are quite worried that elections in Nigeria have been riddled with malpractices and rigging since the inception of the present civilian rule in Nigeria, thereby making majority of Nigerian citizens to lose faith in the Nigerian democracy as well as the Nigerian State, leading to apathy and sabotage.”
It noted that the flaws and pitfalls of the Nigeria electoral system have greatly eroded the legitimacy of the Nigerian State to the extent that seemingly elected governments are presently contending with different forms of political instability, insecurity and sabotage orchestrated by the governed, having failed to provide good governance and dividends of democracy for the majority of the citizens.
“However, our investigations and national consultations have revealed that one major factor and alibi for electoral malpractices and rigging in Nigeria is the manual/physical transfer of election results in Nigeria, which is archaic, problematic and prone to abuse and infractions.
“Consequently, stakeholders across party divides and sectional lines, including the elections management body, INEC, have come to a consensus that the country is ripe and due for electronic transmission of election results to overcome at least 50% of the basis for electoral malpractices in Nigeria.”
According to the statement, key participants and speakers invited to play key roles in the national coalition include former Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt-Hon Ghali Umar Na’Abba; former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi; former House of Representatives member, Dr Usman Bugaje; National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Dr Olu Agunloye, and Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu.
Others are High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, frontline media mogul; Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, Femi Fálànà, former minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili; Professor Kingsley Moghalu, Senator Shehu Sanni, Chief Raph Okey Nwosu, Engr Buba Galadima, Past Ituah Ighodalo, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Hadjia Najatu Mohammed, Mr Monday Ubani, among others.