A political group comprising seventeen political leaders under the aegis of G-17 Coalition of Political leaders for electoral reforms have advocated for overhauling of Nigeria’s electoral system.
Rising from a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the group noted that the trend of inconclusive elections in some States of the federation showed that Nigeria’s electoral system was organically defective.
Chairman of the coalition, Dr. Onwubuya Abraham in a statement he signed and made available to DAILY POST, indicated that Nigeria’s democracy was endangered if nothing was done to adjust the system.
“We have reviewed the outcome of the 2019 general elections and the incoming bye-elections in some States such as Sokoto, Bauchi, Plateau, Kano, Benue, Adamawa and Rivers State respectively.”
“We realized that our democracy has been threatened and is in danger, as such there is urgent need to form a strong, viable, committed and responsive pressure group to advocate and pursue a comprehensive overhauling and reforming of our electoral system to a standard that people will have confidence in the system.”
The coalition berated some leading political party leaders for being selfish and aggressive, a situation they said, led to the worst elections in history, while absolving INEC officials of wrongdoing in the just concluded elections.
“Without any apology, we declare the 2019 general election as the worst in the history of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“This is not wholly on the lack of INEC preparedness or compromised by some key staff and officers but merely on the aggressive, selfish ambition and desperation of leading political party leaders for their candidates to win at all costs.
“Thus crippling our democratic norms and produced voters apathy, mistrust on political leaders and lack of confidence by the Electorates in the electoral process.
The coalition noted that they would engage the National Assembly to reform the system so as to provide punitive measures for electoral offenders.
“We will ensure using all legal means and aggressive lobbying to ensure that full overhauling of our Electoral System becomes the major priority of the 9th National Assembly. “
