The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to courageously enforce the provisions of the Electoral Laws and the Constitution in the organization of forthcoming elections.
The National Chairman of the SDP, Malam Shehu Gabam, conveyed this message during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Gabam emphasized that Nigerians anticipate INEC to make necessary adjustments in 2024, rectifying past mistakes and taking decisive actions to address them in the future.
He further stressed that INEC should boldly prosecute electoral offenders and annul elections if there is evidence of compromise in the process.
“In the last election in Kogi, INEC admitted that the election result sheet, which is the most sensitive election material, was leaked and pre-filled before the election, but it didn’t act appropriately.
“Despite promising that it would cancel the election in those three local government areas, it didn’t do that, but we are fighting it. We have instituted a petition to challenge it.
“INEC needs to be bold because they have the power to cancel elections where there is evidence of compromise. The law is unambiguous,’’ he said.
Gabam advised the INEC chairman to be bold in rectifying some of the past mistakes of the commission.
“The commission said that it was investigating some electoral offenders; INEC has to demonstrate to Nigerians that it is dire in prosecuting them; otherwise, voter apathy in this country will be unprecedented,’’ he said.
Regarding the demand for additional scrutiny of electoral laws, Gabam expressed that what Nigeria truly requires is a reorientation of its citizens to improve the electoral process.
“I think reorientation is key. Generally, there is a need for reorientation for people to understand their rights and privileges.”
“If people are reoriented properly for them to understand that it is their constitutional right to cast their votes and their votes to be counted, they will resist any attempt to subvert their votes.
“Once people started resisting an attempt to subvert their votes, there’s nothing anybody, including the executive, can do to subvert their will,” he said.
He emphasized that Nigerians must alter their inclination toward boycotting elections, stressing that abstaining from elections is not a solution in a democratic system of government.
“People must know that if you do not vote, you are doing a great disservice to the system. By avoiding the system, you are doing more harm to the system.”
“What is expected of you is to cast your votes, stand there, and make sure your votes count,’’ Gabam said.
He recommended that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) revert to its constitutional responsibility of enlightening Nigerians about the importance of voting and safeguarding their votes during elections.
He noted that even during military regimes, NOA was extensively engaged in mobilizing Nigerians across the country to participate in voting.