By Dayo Johnson Akure

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations has asked political parties to immediately desist from altering or substituting field results of INEC-monitored primaries.

It declared that “INEC must protect the integrity of its own records and refuse to legitimise fabricated outcomes.”

Addressing newsmen, the coordinator of the Centre for Democratic Governance and leader of the coalition, Ugochukwu Constantine, said: “The judiciary must continue to serve as the final guardian of the people’s will, interpreting the law without fear or favour.”

Constantine said: “Democracy does not survive on the goodwill of the powerful. It survives when institutions hold the line.”

“We, the coalition of Civil Society Organisations represented here today, will continue to document, to speak, and to stand with the ordinary Nigerian whose hope rests on the integrity of these processes,” he added.

He said: “We are here because the will of the people, expressed through INEC-monitored primary elections and protected by the Electoral Act, is under assault in many parts of the country.

“Outcomes of party primaries must reflect the true picture of what happened on the field. No political party — whether in government or in opposition — has the right to alter results recorded by the unbiased umpire and conducted by its lawful organs or committee.

“We call out the Independent National Electoral Commission for permitting parties to transmit or upload results that substitute defeated candidates for those who actually won on the ground.

“The constitutional wisdom of involving INEC in the monitoring and documentation of party primaries exists precisely to prevent this kind of truncating assault on democracy.

“INEC must reclaim and maintain its independence without fear or favour.

“In Ondo State, clear evidence exists that in several constituencies the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress manufactured results entirely different from those announced and monitored by the unbiased official umpire (INEC).

“Such actions stand in direct contradiction to the Electoral Act and the principles of free and fair internal democracy.”

According to him, “Such actions have now become subject of litigation and all eyes are on the justice system of our country and those dispensing justice.

“Without prejudice to the ongoing litigations, it is important as civil societies to draw the attention of Nigerians and the global community to the evolution of our democracy and the fearless roles of judges and justice system which deserves applause.

“At times like this, the heroism of our judges and justice becomes the bedrock to lasting democracy in our country.

“Where the wheel bends, we suffer generations unborn by our actions and inactions to jettison democracy.

“We have seen the courts, in cases involving the high and mighty, uphold these sacred facts.

“The matter of Ghani Rotimi Arobo versus the APC, INEC stands as one such example. We stand firm and without prejudice in our conviction that the courts will again uphold the glaring legal position and serve justice.

“Visibly the court rejected outrightly the claim of the defendant and his purported manufactured results through the NWC as against the INEC-monitored direct primary.

“The appellate court upheld same decision and even struck out the case, apparently strengthening democracy.

“Today, we have with us some APC returning officers who testified in the court as to their signature being forged by those purportedly declared through NWC in the case of APC direct primaries across constituencies, including Akoko South East/West, Ondo East/West, Ilaje/Ese-Odo and other constituencies.

“These men and party faithfuls are the heroes of democracy speaking up for justice and enthronement of the rule of law.

“Let us be clear, under Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission is legally empowered to ensure that the submitted names of candidates strictly tally with the actual winners of the monitored party primaries.

“INEC should no longer allow parties to substitute.

“To enforce this, INEC uses an automated electronic nomination portal programmed to automatically reject any attempt by political parties to submit candidate names that differ from the primary results uploaded by INEC monitors.

“Hence, INEC must not compromise this process. Taxpayers have paid for such portal and it must be allowed to function.

“The last institutional hope of the ordinary Nigerian remains the judiciary. It must continue to resist every pressure to abandon that sacred duty.

“We affirm our confidence in the judicial system of Nigeria. We invite all present to join us in recognising the Nigerian Judiciary for the moments it has stood firm and resolute on the side of the common man and the rule of law.”

The post 2027; Stop altering primary results, CSOs warn political parties appeared first on Vanguard News.

This post was originally published on this site