By CHUKS OKOCHA

Ahead of today’s debate on the harmonised version of the electoral bill, the National Consultative Front (NCFront) of Leaders of Conscience, co-chaired by Hon Ghali Naaba and Prof Pat Utomi, has alleged that the circulation of the version of the bill that excluded electronic transmission of election results is the new plot by the ruling powers in Nigeria to entrench rigging ‘through the imposition of an unpopular Electoral Act ahead of the 2023 elections’.

The NCFront, therefore, said it has decided to undertake broad mobilisation and consultations with national stakeholders and leaders of thought, as the emergent political third force in the country, to provide the required leadership for the exploited masses of Nigeria to appropriately prevent the electoral sham to be passed for the conduct of the 2023 elections.

In a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs of NcFront, Tanko Yinuda, yesterday, the group said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the said document to be passed as the new electoral law of the country does not embrace key concerns and yearnings of Nigerians, which include electronic accreditation using the card reader, electronic counting of votes, electronic transmission of results, and electronic collation of results.”

It stated that the provisions are what Nigerians believe would help overcome and reduce electoral malpractices drastically, while also taking care of electoral violence and intimidation during elections, “as well as enhancing the credibility and integrity of our electoral system, while also boosting public confidence in our elections.”

According to the Ncfront, “The proposed document to be passed into law by the ruling political powers is regarded by majority of Nigeria’s political stakeholders as heavily riddled with half measures and loopholes at a time political office holders nomadically move from one political party to another and still maintain their seats.”

As a result, NcFront said the new ‘imposition’ is totally unacceptable to Nigerians, “as it is targeted at the rigging of the 2023 elections and to putting Nigerian democracy in danger.

“We wish to call on all well-meaning Nigerians to come out enmass to challenge this unacceptable electoral act to be imposed by the National Assembly.

“We wish to state that we are vehemently opposed to this proposed document, and therefore, will rather implore the National Assembly to make public before passing it into law the documents that it intends to pass into law so that every Nigerian can have an input.

“At least majority of Nigerians will agree to that document that says it represents the interests of the Nigerian. We demand a popular document that can give Nigeria credible, free and fair elections in 2023 and produce credible and competent leaders, as anything short of that will further put the country in danger.” (Adapted from THISDAY)

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