By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
KOGI Non-Governmental Organisations Network (KONGONET), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address obvious gaps, technical failures and logistics deficiencies that characterized the February 25, Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the country.
KONGONET made the call in a press statement signed by Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, and Mrs Ibiteye A. Bola, Chairman and Assistant Secretary respectively of the Apex Coalition of Civil Society Networks in Kogi State on Wednesday in Lokoja.
It noted that addressing the lapses would help restore faith of the electorate in the integrity, transparency and reliability of the electoral process and moreso as the State Assembly Elections draw very close.
“This is very vital to the health of our nascent democracy. INEC must recognize that Kogites and indeed, Nigerians, are holding them in high esteem and that, it is not enough to be supposedly transparent.
“They must also be seen to be transparent as perceptions play a key role in winning the confidence of the electorates.
“We have observed with keen interest over the years the decreasing interest of electorates to participate in the electoral process as evidenced by the decreasing voter turn-out in the nation’s elections since 1999.
“We have a unique opportunity to turn this around if all stakeholders, beginning with INEC, would do the right things, restore confidence and inspire hope in Kogites and Nigerians by making sure that our electoral processes are free, fair, credible and transparent.
“We did not fail to observe the disappointment and displeasure of Nigerians at the failure of INEC to adhere strictly to its guidelines and thus throwing shadows on the credibility of the Presidential results declared”, the coalition said.
KONGONET added that the various challenges experienced by Kogi people as a result of the late arrival of materials and staff of INEC to some polling units, the last-minute shuffling of designated polling units among other lapses did not escape it’s notice.
“We wish to commend Kogites for exercising restrain in the face of all these challenges and for maintaining law and order as they exercised their franchise.
“We urge all the aggrieved parties to follow the rules of law and seek legal redress accordingly. We must avoid over heating the polity and risk throwing the State and Nation into chaos. Elections are a game and there can only be one winner”, the statement added.
The NGOs Network urged that the viral video clip showing an elected political office holder destroying election materials in Adavi LGA be investigated and the culprit, be made to face the consequences.
It urged that such obvious infractions should not be swept under the carpet as it implored citizens of Kogi State to again, defy all odds and go out in their numbers to exercise their franchise on March 11.
It urged the electorate to vote candidates of their choice in the State Assembly Elections saying, “It is time to hire our State Assembly representatives.”
