Emerging report indicates that 70 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in the country,
on Monday, warned the 9th National Assembly that the refusal to include electronic transfer of election results, as well as other relevant amendments to the Electoral Act, to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to fully independently determine the mode for elections
, could lead to disaster in the country, come 2023 general elections.The CSOs under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, NCSSR, gave the warning during a Press Conference, held with implementing Partners, under the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme, on the harmonisation of the Electoral Bill, at the National Assembly, in Abuja.The event was addressed by the Convener of the NCSSR, Ene Obi; Founder of Albino Foundation, Jack Epelle; Director of Programmes in Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu; Senior Programme Officer, Centre for Democracy, among others.
The NCSSR said: “If the Electoral Amendment Bill is not signed, it will signpost a catastrophe for the 2023 general elections.“Notwithstanding the landmark proposals in the ongoing review process, Civil Society Partners and key Stakeholders have identified about 17 points of divergence in the versions of the Elections Act Amendment Bill passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives
among which are: the use of smart card readers; deployment of electronic voting, collation and transmission of results; cost of campaigns and the process of nomination of Candidates.“As Civil Society community, and as expressed by a vast majority of Electoral Stakeholders and Nigerians, we are concerned by these identified differences in the proposals, particularly regarding electronic transmission of results and the deployment of technological devices in the conduct of elections.”