A group, United Movement for New Nigeria, has faulted the removal of Electronic Transmission of Election Results in the Electoral Reform Act, describing such as rape of democracy, betrayal of public trust and confidence.
The group in a statement signed and made available to News Echo on Tuesday in Owerri through its National Spokesperson, Prince MacDonald Enwere, said “our attention has been drawn to the removal of the electronic transmission of election results in the recent Electoral Reform Act which is before the National Assembly”.
“It is quite shocking and incredible that in this critical moment in our country, when our elected legislators are expected to formulate policies to enhance democratic consolidation, electoral sustainability and institutional reform, they have decided to circumvent the paramount wish and expectations of the masses with regards to the electoral reform”.
“To our greatest bewilderment, the National Assembly in Section 50 (2) of the Amendment Bill surreptitiously inserted a clause which prohibits the electronic transmission of election results. It is really absurd that after several memoranda and recommendations submitted to the Adhoc Committee on the Electoral Reform Bill by relevant stakeholders during public hearing, the National Assembly ignored all the key priority recommendations, robust proposals and novel interventions and went ahead to pursue their selfish political interest. Instead of our legislators to rise up in defending and strengthening the legitimacy of the nation’s electoral process they decided to undermine the integrity of our future elections”.
The group stated that Nigeria stability and democratic sustainability depend on the integrity of the electoral reform, regretting that it was highly embarrassing that the National Assembly has failed to fulfill its promise of bequeathing a transparent and substantial reform of the nation’s electoral system.
Enwere added that “this has raised a question mark on the commitment of the leadership of the present National Assembly in giving the nation transparent and responsive Electoral Act. The prohibition of electronic transmission of election results in the recent Electoral Reform Bill is a rape of democracy by the National Assembly and betrayal of public trust and confidence. The legislators have really shown that they lack the patriotic will, zeal, sincerity and commitment to reforming the nation’s electoral process. We are not surprised because the lawmakers are direct beneficiaries of the fraudulent electoral system and other anomalies the bill intends to address”.
Therefore, the group calls on all well meaning citizens to “rise in repudiation against the prohibition of electronic transmission of election results in the electoral act and other antics of the lawmakers in circumventing the integrity of our future elections”.
