Again, CSOs Urge Senate to Reject Nomination of Partisan, Unqualified Persons as RECs

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) under the umbrella of ‘Saving Our Vote’ has called on the Senate to resist the attempt to undermine the institutional independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the nomination of partisan and unqualified Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari had in his letter to the Senate nominated 19 persons as RECs in line with the provisions of Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution Nigeria (as amended).

Among the 19 persons being recommended for confirmation, five were reappointed, including Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa); Obo Effanga (Cross River); Umar Ibrahim (Taraba); Agboke Olaleke (Ogun), and Samuel Egwu (Kogi).

However, out of 14 other nominees, four were alleged not only to be politically exposed persons, but also card-carrying members of political parties that would be taking part in the 2023 polls.

 But addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, a team of INEC consultative partners and accredited elections observer groups and CSOs including Intercontinental Leadership Initiative, Centre for Strategy, Ethics and Value, Northern Patriotic Front, Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance kicked against the nomination of the accused persons.

Reading a communique on behalf of the coalition at the end of roundtable discussion, Mr. Stafford Bisong, while applauding technological advancements in the electoral process, said INEC should find solutions in creating a seamless process for voter registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, saying the present process was not as effective as required.

It also called for the improvement of the BVAS for subsequent elections, especially the 2023 general elections in the area of management and operations.

It stated: “That the Nigerian Senate should resist the attempt to undermine the institutional independence of INEC in the nomination of partisan and unqualified Resident Electoral Commissioners by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“In order to regain the confidence of the electorate, INEC should look into the composition, integrity and credibility of their ICT personnel in the department.

“The sudden redeployment of the Director ICT should be reviewed after the 2023 general election to ensure there are no lapses as Nigeria consolidates on the gains so far achieved through the use of the BVAS.”

The coalition further said all electoral stakeholders should advocate for judicial reforms and a review of the powers of the Election Petition Tribunal and Courts in the electoral process.

It pointed out that sanitising the judiciary would largely reduce the number of upturned and re-run elections emanating from the influence of politicians.

The group added: “With a specific mention of the Magistrate Court judgement of the 5th of August

2022 sacking the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman of the PDP for having fewer votes than that of his APC counterpart, we implore politicians to awaken in themselves the Spirit of ‘good sportsmanship’ by learning to accept election results in a fair process

which has been enhanced by the use of the BVAS in conducting elections by INEC.”

The coalition recalled that INEC had declared Christopher Zakka of the PDP winner of the February 12, 2022 AMAC election election, having scored a total of 19,302 votes to defeat Usman Karshi of the APC who scored 13,249 votes.

It, however, lamented that FCT Area Council Election Petitions Tribunal led by Magistrate Folashade Oyekan upturned the election results and declared Karshi as duly elected Chairman of AMAC.

It said the judiciary and politicians should be informed that the BVAS has broken the thuggery and ballot snatching jinx and has ended massive thumb

The coalition said as accredited election observers, their observations during the election agreed absolutely with the result announced by INEC Returning Officer that Zakka of the PDP won the election. 

It stated that any result contrary to what they observed from the polling units to the FCT Collation Centre and announced by INEC in line with the 2022 Electoral Act and as submitted in its reports to the INEC Chairman had been manipulated or forged.