How 2023 elections can be free, credible, by group

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) said, yesterday, that the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria could only be adjudged popular, inclusive, violent free and credible if it is conducted by ensuring that citizens, of voting ages, regardless of tribe, religion, class or gender, are issued with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to participate in it.

It stated that voters and candidates in the general elections must also be protected in an atmosphere devoid of fear, threats and violence.

The group, which unveiled a 23-paged special investigative report on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of next year’s general elections, raised worries over several issues that have allegedly been imported into the process by the Commission, which may mar its integrity.

A joint statement signed by the group’s Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head of Democracy and Good Governance Programme, Chinwe Umeche; Head of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Obianuju Igboeli, and Head of Campaign and Publicity Department, Chidimma Udegbunam, said the cardinal objective of the report was to expose handicaps that have either been employed during the 2022 voter registration or the coming elections.

Giving further details of the report, the group said: “It is also to ensure Nigeria’s smooth and peaceful 2023 national and sub-national transfer of power. Contrarily, what we found, in the course of the compilation of the 23-paged Special Investigative Report, was mindboggling and reprehensively unheard of. This is to the extent that INEC has compromised the coming February 25, 2023, presidential poll, and still parading itself as an ‘unbiased umpire’ before Nigerians and respected world democracies and superpowers.”

“The report also found that owing to high profile docility and compromises by democracy Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that are supposed to be independently exposing and checkmating the excesses of INEC and its key appointees, in addition to many character minuses on the part of political players and their parties, INEC and its key appointees have seen them as an opportunity for impunity.

“The Report also highlighted 50 major rigging plots hatched by the Commission and identified 12 major polling rigging states to watch in the February 25 presidential poll.”