By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Conference Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has congratulated Nigerians on the Senate’s decision to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the mode of election, including electronic transmission of results, describing it as “a victory in the round one in the renewed efforts by Nigerians to fight for the soul of the country’s democracy.”
The CNPP while formerly reacting to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 amendment by the lawmakers, empowering INEC to electronically transmit election results, commended the Commission for standing by the people and insisting that it had the capacity to transmit election results electronically.
In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP noted that “Nigerians who unanimously stood their ground on the demand for electronic electoral process and INEC are the heroes of the struggle for a transparent election in 2023.”
The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria then urged “Nigerians not to relent in their efforts to get the lawmakers and the federal government to ensure a free, fair and credible general elections in 2023.
“The battle is not over yet. There are still some defects on the electoral act amendment document but we have to start from somewhere.
“We believe that the body language of the presidency may have led to the change of mind by the Senators who thought they were doing their party a favour but we commend the lawmakers for retracing their steps after the deafening voices of Nigerians and lovers of democracy insisted on full powers of INEC to determine the mode of elections in the country in line with the constitution.
“We therefore urge Nigerians to remain vigilant as the political actors who hate transparent elections are not yet done”, the CNPP stated.
