A group, Imo Youths for a New Nigeria, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to correct the mistakes of the February and March 2023 general elections by conducting perfect governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States on November 11, 2023.
At a Press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, while analysing the outcome of the 2023 presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the group said INEC failed to meet the expectations of millions of Nigerians.
The leader of the group, Chidiebube Okeoma said the electoral umpire must utilise the window of the November 11 governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States to right their wrongs.
Okeoma said with the way and manner the just concluded elections were held, many Nigerians had lost interest in the country’s democracy.
The activist said INEC gave Nigerians false hope with the promise that it was going to conduct credible elections but ended up conducting the most ” flawed election since 1999.”
Okeoma said, “The 2023 General elections didn’t meet up the expectations of millions of Nigerians. From vote buying to partisanship on the side of INEC staff and security agents, to the hijacking of electoral materials, to mutilation of election results, going against the 2022 electoral act as amended, to voter intimidation and suppression, electoral violence, the whole process was below standard.
” Politicians openly rigged the elections in their favour and they saw INEC officers and security agents who were willing tools, aid them in compromising the processes. They openly bragged and mocked the judiciary by asking those who opposed their rigging tactics to go to court”
Okeoma said with the flawed process, INEC now had the opportunity of working to ensure that the three governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States in November are conducted in strict adherence to the electoral act 2022 as amended.
He maintained that if November 11 elections are not perfectly conducted millions of Nigerians will not be participating in future elections.
Okeoma further said ” INEC has a golden opportunity before it. It has the rare opportunity of using the three off season governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States to regain the lost confidence and the trust of millions of Nigerians.
“Already millions have decided that they won’t vote again going forward but if INEC conducts credible elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States in November, millions may rescind their decision of not wanting to vote again. INEC has no reason to fail Nigerians in November because, unlike the February 25 and March 18 elections, the November 11 elections are just taking place in three states. They have ample time to prepare and enough workforce to prosecute the elections in line with international best practices.”