Nigerians Should Insist 2023 Poll Is Internet-Complaint — Afenifere

*Say Those Against E-Transmission Want Election Rigging To
Continue

Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, said Nigerians
should insist that the 2023 elections in the country must be made
to be as Internet-complaint as possible, with the results
transmitted electronically, “otherwise, there shall be no
elections.”

The pan-Yoruba made this clear demand in reaction to the
rejection by the National Assembly of e-transmission of poll
results while considering passage of amendments to the Electoral
Act, describing the decision as unfortunate and a demonstration
that those who voted that way wanted election malpractices to
continue in Nigeria.

Afenifere spokesperson, Comrade Jare Ajayi, made the call on
Sunday in a statement, saying a “corollary to this is that
restructuring must take place wholistically before the next general
elections, come 2023.

“The choice before us as a people is to insist that the next
elections in the country must be made to be as Internet-complaint
as possible, otherwise, there shall be no elections.

“A corollary to this is that restructuring must take place
wholestically before the next general elections,” the Afenifere
chieftain said.

Ajayi, while condemning the decision taken by the National
Assembly lawmakers on the electronic transfer of election results,
said their action had clearly shown that majority of them were not
there to serve the people’s best interests as they were there
mainly there to serve the interests of those they considered as
holding the lever of power.

‘To start with, our Legislators ought to be anxious that Nigeria
should advance technologically. One of the ways to achieve this is
to digitalise services that are digitalisable.

“Announcing or broadcasting elections results via the Internet,
just like transferring money electronically, is certainly one of
the ways for this to be done. For the National Assembly to vote
against it shows that those who voted against it want election
malpractices to continue in Nigeria. It is unfortunate,” Afenifere
spokesperson said.

Speaking further, Afenifere spokesperson said the argument of
the Senate in voting against e- transmission of results was made
worse by predicating “the usage of the Internet to transfer
elections results on the approval by the Nigerian Communications
Commission and the National Assembly, while it still claimed the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is
independent.

He queried where was the independence from when the right or
decision to use or not to use a particular method would be
determined by forces outside of the electoral body, declaring:
“Nigeria never ceases to confound one.”

Comrade Ajayi, however, noted that the electoral body had since
made it clear that it was in a position to transmit elections
results electronically, saying that the immediate past chairman of
the body, Prof Attahiru Jega, had affirmed such.

While further querying the motive behind the decision of the
National Assembly to reject the e- transmission of election results
in the amended Electoral Bill, Comrade Ajayi said they did so
simply because they had an ulterior motive which was not in the
best interest of majority of Nigerians.

“Why then should members of the National Assembly ruled
otherwise? They did so simply because they have an ulterior motive.
A motive that is not in the best interest of majority of
Nigerians,” he said.

*Say Those Against E-Transmission Want Election Rigging To
Continue

Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, said Nigerians
should insist that the 2023 elections in the country must be made
to be as Internet-complaint as possible, with the results
transmitted electronically, “otherwise, there shall be no
elections.”

The pan-Yoruba made this clear demand in reaction to the
rejection by the National Assembly of e-transmission of poll
results while considering passage of amendments to the Electoral
Act, describing the decision as unfortunate and a demonstration
that those who voted that way wanted election malpractices to
continue in Nigeria.

Afenifere spokesperson, Comrade Jare Ajayi, made the call on
Sunday in a statement, saying a “corollary to this is that
restructuring must take place wholistically before the next general
elections, come 2023.

“The choice before us as a people is to insist that the next
elections in the country must be made to be as Internet-complaint
as possible, otherwise, there shall be no elections.

“A corollary to this is that restructuring must take place
wholestically before the next general elections,” the Afenifere
chieftain said.

Ajayi, while condemning the decision taken by the National
Assembly lawmakers on the electronic transfer of election results,
said their action had clearly shown that majority of them were not
there to serve the people’s best interests as they were there
mainly there to serve the interests of those they considered as
holding the lever of power.

‘To start with, our Legislators ought to be anxious that Nigeria
should advance technologically. One of the ways to achieve this is
to digitalise services that are digitalisable.

“Announcing or broadcasting elections results via the Internet,
just like transferring money electronically, is certainly one of
the ways for this to be done. For the National Assembly to vote
against it shows that those who voted against it want election
malpractices to continue in Nigeria. It is unfortunate,” Afenifere
spokesperson said.

Speaking further, Afenifere spokesperson said the argument of
the Senate in voting against e- transmission of results was made
worse by predicating “the usage of the Internet to transfer
elections results on the approval by the Nigerian Communications
Commission and the National Assembly, while it still claimed the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is
independent.

He queried where was the independence from when the right or
decision to use or not to use a particular method would be
determined by forces outside of the electoral body, declaring:
“Nigeria never ceases to confound one.”

Comrade Ajayi, however, noted that the electoral body had since
made it clear that it was in a position to transmit elections
results electronically, saying that the immediate past chairman of
the body, Prof Attahiru Jega, had affirmed such.

While further querying the motive behind the decision of the
National Assembly to reject the e- transmission of election results
in the amended Electoral Bill, Comrade Ajayi said they did so
simply because they had an ulterior motive which was not in the
best interest of majority of Nigerians.

“Why then should members of the National Assembly ruled
otherwise? They did so simply because they have an ulterior motive.
A motive that is not in the best interest of majority of
Nigerians,” he said.