75 Political Parties Pass Confidence Vote on INEC Chairman.

By John Nwokocha,

About 75 political parties on Monday passed a vote of confidence on the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, during a 2-day national round table for the 2018 general election review organised by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy in conjunction with chairmen of political parties in Nigeria, held in Abuja. Evaluating the 2019 general elections, the parties said they gave a confidence vote on Yakubu “the successful conduct of the election” adding that they note with satisfaction “the transparency in communication and regular engagement of stakeholders” at different levels which ensured that Nigerians were carried along in the election process. Among the political parties that gave their confidence vote are: AAC, ADC, KOWA, PPA, UPP, PRP, YES, FJP, APP, Accord, YDP, C4C, DA, MMN, ID, RP, PCP, ACPN, SPN, WTPN, FJP, YPP, YP, AGA, UDP, PPN,  ANN, ANP, NUP, CAP, ACD, RAP, UPN, GPN, AUN, NPC, PT, CNP, LP, AA, PCP, UP, NCP, LPN, AAD, CoP and NNPP. The chairmen of political parties however blamed operatives of security agencies, particularly the military and police for lapses and malpractices witnessed during the polls and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps and sign the  Electoral Amendment Bill into law to safe the country the challenges associated with the current Electoral law. The national round table with the theme: The roles and performances of stakeholders in the 2019 general elections, issues, challenges and prospects, was well attended by members of civil society organisations, media personalities and political actors. Speaking at the event, the immediate past vice president of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Sam Sumana urged political leaders to always seek peace. Also speaking in the event which was chaired by   Remi Aiyede, the acting executive director of  Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Ms Faith Nwadishi, in her address, commended INEC for what she called being ‘independent in  the way and manner it responded to unexpected challenges’. In a communique issued at the end of deliberations, the round table recommends among others: Scraping of ad-hoc arrangements by INEC in the conduct general elections. Also, the round table recommends that presidential, national assembly, governorship, as well as state house of assembly elections  be held the same day to address the challenge of voter apathy. Participants deplored roles played by security agencies and political thugs who said they were ‘used by politicians’.  The communique stated that: “The Round table condemned the hypocrisy of the leadership of security agencies that manifested in the partisan deployment of police and security personnel to polling stations/ voting points”. The round table therefore demands the establishment offenses tribunal to try  electoral offenders to be structured to take off less than one month after election petition tribunal hearing