Delivering A Transparent Election Is Beyond INEC, Political Parties Entertain Fears Over Free And Fair Polls
Some political parties have still shown fears that there are possibilities the 2023 general election might be compromised considering the rate of attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among other factors.
gathered despite the assurances given by the INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election, some of these political parties have expressed fears over possible disruptions by politicians who are bent on having things go their way.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Rufus Aiyenigba told Punch that delivering a free and fair election is beyond INEC even though the commission’s chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu is committed to delivering transparent and credible elections.
Aiyenigba said “Our major worry is the work of saboteurs who always want to do damage to the system. They can come in the form of cyber attacks to hack the commission’s website. They can come in the form of attacks on the commission’s facilities like we have witnessed in recent times.
“As a party, we are quite impressed with the reforms and innovations by INEC under the watch of Prof Mahmood Yakubu. We have always stated that the patriotism and commitment of INEC are not in doubt because, in the past few years, these have been reflected in the character of elections they have conducted.
“The Social Democratic Party is concerned about the incessant attacks on the facilities of the commission. Delivering credible elections goes beyond INEC. When its personnel and facilities are prone to attacks, with little or no indication that these things won’t happen again, then, we all should be worried. We hope security agencies will take up their responsibility and ensure that these attacks are prevented from happening as we get set for the elections.”
also understands that the National Publicity Secretary of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Egbeola Wale-Martins, explained that his own concern is about desperate political actors who often have their way.
Wale-Martins submitted that “Ignorance and poverty have been weaponised by callous politicians who have succeeded in relegating development and promoting policies that will promote ignorance and poverty so that the electorate will continue to be in perpetual servitude.
Also, the fear of desperate politicians who are yet to embrace the reality of the innovations brought into the electoral system, hence ready to do anything to disrupt a peaceful environment and sometimes in connivance with some unscrupulous security officers remains one of the greatest threats to the 2023 general elections.”
On the part of the African Democratic Party (ADP), their own fear is the incumbency factor, which Naija News learnt that the party submits that it might undermine the process if not tamed.
Also speaking to Punch, the ADP National Chairman and presidential candidate Yabagi Sani observed that “We are happy that both the government and the commission have assured Nigerians of their readiness to conduct acceptable elections. We are indeed concerned about the negative role the incumbency factor played in previous elections because it can happen again.
“The government is represented in this election by the ruling party and so, you have a situation of he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The question is, how independent can these people be in the discharge of their duties? Can they play by the rules by staying neutral as they are expected to?
“We hope that stakeholders in this election will not be influenced by temporal gratifications to do the wish of the highest bidder. The elections are about the future of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
