NHRC: There may Be Voter Apathy in Guber, States Assembly Polls

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised the alarm that with the way the Presidential/National Assembly elections were handled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there may be voter apathy during the March 11 Governorship/House of Assembly polls.

It also warned that if something is not immediately done to ameliorate the problem caused so far with the electoral process, there may be outbreak of violence in the country.

The commission supports ongoing calls on INEC to comply with the rules guiding the conduct of the 2023 general election as contained in the amended Electoral Act, insisting that non-compliance would result in voter apathy and violence among other consequences in the coming governorship and states assembly elections.

The call was championed by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, during the briefing on the review of the NHRC 2023 elections and the human rights situation on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ojukwu said people may gradually lose faith in the system because of non-compliance with relevant laws and rules guiding the conduct of the election.

He said it was not acceptable to transmit results manually when the law says it has to be transmitted electronically, adding that manual and electronic upload should go simultaneously.

He however urged Nigerians to have patience with the process as a new portal is now open where results are been uploaded.

According to Ojukwu, it was gladdening that following the outcry of the people, INEC has now found an alternative to the manual upload of results in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Meanwhile, he advised Nigerians to cry out if they found any discrepancy between the original sheet and the uploaded one, adding that the law clearly expected results to be transmitted,  therefore, INEC needs to comply with the law to restore the confidence of the people to reduce apathy.

In his remark, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Coordinator of Transition Monitoring Group, Auwal Rafsanjani, condemned INEC for its silence for days while the people complained about manual upload of results rather than electronically.