Politics
Parties Allege Fresh Plot To Truncate 2023 Elections
Eighteen registered political parties and civil society organisations on Wednesday raised fears over fresh plots to truncate the 2023 general election through evil means, including stopping the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and electronic transmission of results.
According to them, plans had been perfected by the perpetrators to create crisis of confidence based on trumped up charges that would lead to the removal of top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, including its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and other National Commissioners who are insisting on the use of the BVAS for the 2023 elections and the “irreversible” use of electronic transmission of the result.
They also claimed to have “intercepted intelligence of an alleged fresh plot against the 2023 elections and this time being coordinated by leading figures of the ruling APC (All Progressives Congress) party, APC Governors led by a South-East APC Governor with controversial past, and another from the North-West who are working with their colleagues to perfect a plot to intimidate INEC leadership into abandoning the use of electronic transmission and uploading of election results to the INEC server, deactivation of the BVAS machine from INEC server and the creation of crisis of confidence based on trumped up charges that will lead to the removal of top officials of the commission including the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other National Commissioners who are insisting on the use of the BIVAS for the 2023 election and the irreversible use of electronic transmission of the result.”
The parties and CSOs expressed their views during a press conference by their chairmen, political leaders and heads of political associations which held in Abuja.
The text of the briefing was jointly read by the spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties and Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives candidate for Ideato federal constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere, and CUPP National Secretary and Labour Party candidate for Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala federal constituency of Kogi State, Peter Ameh.
The text read, “We have been tipped off by our intelligence both inside the APC and the camp of the Governors in the conspiracy, and we can state that the opposition is in receipt of information that the INEC leadership, especially senior officials, are being put under immense pressure to abandon the use of the BVAS machine, result transmission and in particular to deactivate the BVAS from the server, an alleged dangerous request which if ever granted under any circumstances can throw Nigeria into pre and post-election crises and will be unacceptable to Nigerian voters, especially the youths who have renewed confidence in the electoral process.
“We are also informed that there is a plot to cause a leadership change in the Commission’s top hierarchy and cause a sweeping change with less than 140 days to the elections. The alleged plan to remove Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and top officials of INEC is a no-go area. The political parties in the country will not accept it. This alleged plot has been coordinated by some APC chieftains and Governors led by a controversial South-East APC Governor. If this plot is not crushed, it can discredit our election and throw Nigeria into crisis. Our institution can’t be destroyed for one man’s quest or a group of people to keep what was hijacked from the people.
“Nigerian political parties’ chairmen, leaders, chieftains of opposition, CUPP, AA, Labour Party, PDP, APP, ADC etc, will not accept, and we repeat, accept any plan to stop the electronic transmission of results, use of BVAS. We will not accept or agree for any election to be conducted without electronic transmission of results, we will resist any person or plot to deactivate the BVAS from the INEC server, we will resist any hurriedly or arranged plot to force, blackmail, use trump up charges, cooked up security report or any method to force the INEC chairman or any of his Commissioners out of office. Know it today, opposition and political party leaders and Nigerian voters are aware, ready, to defend the electoral process.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
As the news of the defection of 17 members of Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP )to the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to make the rounds, a cross section of Rivers people who spoke to The Tide have expressed varying views regarding the development.
At Etche, a senior lecturer with the Rivers State University, who did not want his name in print, said even though defection was the right of politicians, peace and stability remained more fundamental than any action that could further challenge the fragile political situation in the state at the moment.
He also warned that the situation should not be used to witch-hunt any one, adding that the state had suffered enough and needed to be at peace.
In his reaction, Engr Polycarp Geoffrey said even though citizens and residents of the state had cause to be concerned about the decision of the lawmakers, there was nothing to worry about if it was done in good faith.
“I don’t think there is any big deal about it – defection is defection. But people are worried because of past events in the state. So, for me, I don’t see anything about it”, he said.
Engr Geoffrey also urged the Governor Siminalayi Fubara to also openly declare political affiliation in a bid to douse the political tension in the state and to provide clarity regarding his future political direction.
Another respondent, Mr Ebere Alex, alleged ulterior motive behind the law makers’ defection but urged both the law makers and the governor to work for the peace and development of the state.
However, speaking on the development, a chieftain of the PDP in the state, Hon Nname Ewor, told The Tide that said his party would reach out to the remaining lawmakers who have not defected.
He also denied an alleged internal squabble within the PDP, adding that there was no crisis in the party.
It would be recalled that 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule, during plenary last Friday, announced their migration from the PDP to the APC, citing internal party crisis.
Other members who also defected were the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Dumle Maol, representing Gokana Constituency; House Leader, Hon. Major Jack, representing Akulga Constituency 1 and Deputy Leader, Hon. Linda Somiari-Stewart, representing Okrika Constituency; Hon. Solomon Wami, Port Harcourt Constituency 1 and Hon Granville Tekena Wellington representing Asari Toru Constituency 1; Hon. Ofiks Kagbang, representing Andoni Constituency; Hon. Peter Abbey representing Degema Constituency; Hon. Arnold Dennis representing Ogu/Bolo Constituency; Hon. Chimezie Nwankwor representing Etche Constituency 2 and Hon. Franklin Nwabochi representing Onelga Constituency 1.
The rest were, Hon. Azeru Opara, representing Port Harcourt Constituency 3; Hon. Smart Adoki representing Port Harcourt Constituency 2; Hon. Igwe Afforji ,Eleme Constituency and Hon. Lolo Opuende representing Akuku Toru Constituency 2.
By: John Bibor
-
Politics3 days agoWhy Reno Omokri Should Be Dropped From Ambassadorial List – Arabambi
-
Sports3 days agoNigeria, Egypt friendly Hold Dec 16
-
Politics3 days agoPDP Vows Legal Action Against Rivers Lawmakers Over Defection
-
Sports3 days agoNSC hails S’Eagles Captain Troost-Ekong
-
Oil & Energy3 days agoNCDMB Unveils $100m Equity Investment Scheme, Says Nigerian Content Hits 61% In 2025 ………As Board Plans Technology Challenge, Research and Development Fair In 2026
-
Politics3 days agoRIVERS PEOPLE REACT AS 17 PDP STATE LAWMAKERS MOVE TO APC
-
Sports3 days agoMakinde becomes Nigeria’s youngest Karate black belt
-
Politics3 days agoWithdraw Ambassadorial List, It Lacks Federal Character, Ndume Tells Tinubu