from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – NIGERIA’S Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been encouraged to improve its electronic systems and technology for future elections.
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) believes this would ensure free, fair, and credible polls in the West African nation, “as the only panacea for enthroning good governance in line with the wishes of the ordinary citizens.”
This call by the umbrella association of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria, follows the weekend governorship poll in the southwestern Osun State.
Ademola Adeleke of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won.
Willy Ezugwu, CNPP Secretary General, said INEC had again given confidence to the people ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“With the observable improvement in the process of elections in recent times, INEC has continued to inspire more confidence in the electorates across the country,” Ezugwu said.
He said with the reduction in incidents of vote-buying in Osun due to the presence of operatives of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in parts of the state, more Nigerians would be willing to vote.
“Nigerians have known from the conduct of the Ekiti and Osun states’ governorship elections that there is a clear departure from the old ways of electoral impunity occasioned by mass rigging and are now much more willing to vote in future elections,” Ezugwu said.
– CAJ News