A coalition of pro-democracy groups has vehemently rejected the proposal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to abandon electronic transmission of results in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Rising from a meeting in Abuja yesterday, the group said the planned manual transmission of results being proposed was an attempt at allowing desperate politicians to manipulate the will of the Bayelsa electorate during the election.
INEC had on Wednesday stated its plans to transmit the results of the November 11 Bayelsa governorship election manually. This was made known through the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Obo Effanga.
But the CSOs which are an amalgamation of groups committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in the electoral process, in a communique signed by Comrade Olufemi, National Secretary, Campaign for Democracy (CD); and Comrade Atani John, Niger Delta Democratic Vanguard, said: “We believe that the integrity and credibility of any election depend on the transparency of the electoral process, including the accurate and timely transmission of results.
“Electronic transmission of results is a vital component of ensuring the authenticity and fairness of elections, and its abandonment would undermine the trust of the electorate, Nigerians and the international community in the electoral process.
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“The use of technology in the transmission of election results has proven to be a valuable tool in reducing electoral fraud, promoting accountability, and delivering more accurate and timely results to the public. It enhances the transparency of the electoral process and minimises the potential for manipulation or tampering with results at various stages.
“We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconsider its proposal and uphold the principles of transparency and accountability in the Bayelsa State Governorship Election.
“We call on INEC to ensure that the electronic transmission of results is not only maintained but also improved upon to guarantee the credibility of the electoral process.
“As critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project, we are committed to monitoring the upcoming Bayelsa State Governorship Election closely, and we will continue to advocate for transparency, fairness, and the highest standards of integrity in the electoral process.
“We call on all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organisations, and the international community, to join us in safeguarding the integrity of this critical election.
“Finally, we urge the people of Bayelsa to rise and safeguard democracy, and avoid a rape of our democracy.”