Ahead of the 2023 General Elections scheduled for February 2023, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have tasked Political Parties to ensure that their presidential primaries are conducted according to laid down rules contained in their respective constitutions, the guidelines provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in consonance with global best practices.
The CSOs which are a conglomeration of YIAGA Africa, AfriPeace, CISLAC, Transition Monitoring Group, Centr for the Advocacy of Justice & Rights, Women in Nigeria and Zero Corruption Coalition made this position known in a statement as a reminder to political parties as the June 9th, 2022 deadline for the conduct of primaries as prescribed by INEC approaches.
They stressed that their earlier demand that candidates of political parties must emerge through credible processes which are according to laid down rules, in consonance with democratic tenets and best practices is still in force. They pointed out that primaries marred by manipulation, and stage-managed outcomes which are against democratic ideals should not be the seen during the primaries.
They frowned at reports of money inducements, intimidation and other undemocratic practices witnessed during the recently concluded primary elections for nomination of Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly Candidates. They stressed in their own words that “The role of money as evident in the purchase of party nomination forms and the inducement of delegates as witnessed in the conduct of primaries by political parties, represents an ugly trend that is undermining the credibility and integrity of the electoral processes. These are clear violations of the electoral act, which requires INEC, the police and the judiciary to act in ways that will enhance accountability and check impunity.”
They urged political parties yet to conduct primaries to nominate Presidential Candidates to ensure that they produce them through free, fair and credible processes not only in theoretical or abstract sense but in terms of intrinsic transparency and accountability in its processes of accreditation, voting and collation.
In their own words they added that “We call on political parties to collaborate with relevant law enforcement agencies to curtail the rather asinine monetization of the nomination process. The so-called ‘dollar rain’ needs to be brought to a definitive end, and delegates sensitized on the necessity of voting their conscience over primordial and pecuniary considerations. All political parties must consequently safeguard the sanctity of secret ballot system by institutionalizing binding transparency, anti-inducement and trust engendering measures that reinforces the confidence of all stakeholders in the primary election process.”
“Such confidence on the electoral process will further be bolstered through more robust mechanisms such as banning of handheld devices in the voting booths, accreditation of delegates, through the use of National Identity cards, passports, driver’s licence or voter’s card as credible means of identification for the purposes of accreditation.”
In conclusion they stated that “As we collectively strive to build democratic institutions that would promote balanced and accelerated development, we urged INEC to enforce its regulatory powers against political parties that contravene provision of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines before, during and after the Primaries”.
Nigeria Star News 