The Nationwide Muslim Youth Affiliation, NMYA, an alumni of Muslim Tertiary College students Affiliation, has declared that sincere elections are unattainable in Nigeria with the President and the governors persevering with to wield the ability of appointing chairmen and members of electoral our bodies.
The affiliation stated this on Monday at a press convention addressed by its President, Abdulraham Aliyu together with a number of different members in Abuja.
Whereas aligning itself with the place of Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah, who had already forwarded a invoice searching for to remove the ability of appointing chairmen and members of Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, and State Unbiased Electoral Fee, SIECs, from the President and governors respectively, the affiliation maintained that it’s essential to amend the structure in the direction of establishing a brand new INEC.
The affiliation known as on the Nationwide Meeting to think about and move Senator Obiorah’s draft Invoice for the modification of the Structure for the Institution of the brand new INEC and thereafter to work with the State Assemblies and the Presidency to deliver the proposed modification to fruition.
The Muslim affiliation argued that Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, and INEC outcomes viewing, IReV, portal wouldn’t remedy the issue of election rigging in Nigeria with out the impartiality and integrity of the electoral physique as these two programs are weak to manipulation.
The NMYA careworn that it has change into essential to amend the nation’s structure in the direction of establishing a brand new INEC, composed by independently and neutrally appointed commissioners and officers to make sure competence, impartiality, integrity and therefore, free and truthful elections.
The affiliation stated, “We’re saddened to verify that this ravaging poverty in at this time’s Nigeria disproportionately impacts the youths. Presently, about 50 to 60 million youths throughout the nation are unemployed or underemployed. It’s patently apparent that we the Nigerian youths are wallowing in excessive and excruciating poverty.
“In the meantime, as a result of prevalence of rigged and dishonest elections, Nigerian political leaders haven’t any compulsion or nor incentive to offer the folks good governance, and but, they can’t be held accountable by the folks, therefore the pulverizing hardship within the land.
“We agree with Senator Obiorah that sincere elections are unattainable in Nigeria with the President and the Governors persevering with to wield the ability of appointing the electoral our bodies, since they or their political events are often contestants in the identical elections. There is no such thing as a doubt as Senator Obiorah posits, that BVAS and IReV wouldn’t remedy the issue of election rigging in Nigeria with out the impartiality and integrity of the electoral physique as these two programs are weak to manipulation.
“It has due to this fact change into essential to amend the structure in the direction of establishing a brand new INEC, composed by independently and neutrally appointed commissioners and officers to be able to guarantee competence, impartiality, integrity and therefore, free and truthful elections.
“Consequently, we’re glad to announce our endorsement of Senator Obiorah’s novel, recent and daring proposal, to represent the brand new INEC with 13 commissioners, six of whom can be elected by the listed six Nigerian labour {and professional} organizations, and 6 commissioners nominated by the United Nations, and one commissioner – observer nominated by Transparency Worldwide.
“What stands out in Senator Obiorah’s proposed new INEC is the truth that it might be tougher to bribe or intimidate such an internationally composed electoral physique. Extra so, the infusion of worldwide bureaucrats into the brand new INEC would make for higher organized elections through which the key poll would certainly be secret due to this fact defeating vote shopping for.
“Nigeria would then additionally expertise elections through which using non-manipulated BVAS and IReV can be enthroned, and through which correct group and the electoral legislation would make it straightforward for hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in diaspora to vote. We noticed in the middle of trade of views on Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah’s proposal, that some folks had been asking how might foreigners participate in organizing elections in Nigeria.
“Our reply to that query is that the foreigners below reference are the identical foreigners who’ve from Nigeria’s independence been managing solely, the well being care and hospitalizations of Nigeria’s political leaders, all Presidents, Navy Heads of Authorities, Senate Presidents, Audio system, Governors, legislators, senior public officers, senior judicial officers, enterprise elite and so forth. Audio system, Governors, legislators, senior public officers, senior judicial officers, enterprise elite and so forth. And all as a result of Nigeria doesn’t have good hospitals because of unhealthy governance made potential by rigged elections.
“We reply additional, that it’s the identical foreigners who’ve given Nigeria, non-debt help within the type money switch grants of upwards of $65 billion since independence. And that it’s the identical foreigners in Paris Membership who gifted Nigeria over $18 billion {dollars} in debt forgiveness by which Nigeria worn out and zeroed out its international indebtedness in 2006. Years of unhealthy governance introduced on by rigged elections have re-saddled Nigeria with about $50 billion in international debt.
“And nonetheless, our reply continues to make it clear that it’s the identical foreigners who construct for the nation all complicated infrastructural tasks as a result of Nigeria has not been capable of develop indigenous talent and experience in our lengthy 65 years of independence. And most particularly, it’s the identical United Nation (UN) which has been a major, lively and catalytic supporter and trusted companion in Nigeria’s growth aspirations. It’s the identical UN that has been serving to to strengthen Nigerian authorities establishments and capability in any respect ranges (federal, state, and native). The identical UN serving to Nigeria within the coordination and implementation of the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs), and making certain that our nationwide plans are aligned with international targets on poverty eradication, local weather motion, and prosperity.
“Within the face of crises, notably the humanitarian state of affairs within the North-East, the UN Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and different businesses have led the mobilization of worldwide assist, offering life-saving help and dealing in the direction of sturdy options for internally displaced individuals (IDPs).”
