The Initiative for Good and Informed Citizenship, conveners of Rescue Nigeria, has said that nothing must stop the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general election from February 25 to March 11, 2023, in Nigeria.
This was as the organisation said Nigerians must protect democracy.
The organisation in a statement obtained on Tuesday warned that lessons must be learnt from history, as prevailing conditions in Nigeria were “increasingly similar to June 12, 1993, when the government of General Ibrahim Babangida manufactured incidents to mar the outcome of an election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.”
It, therefore, asked Nigerians to be vigilant and be prepared to protect democracy and freedom by working together to ensure that man-made difficulties do not stop them from voting.
“We are worried that as the election gets closer, ordinary Nigerians are faced with conditions created by the government that could disenfranchise them. We are worried about the increase in the price of petroleum, leading to decreased citizen mobility. We are worried about the limitations on the currency causing widespread disruption to normal life. And we are worried that these and other factors taken together could affect the ability of Nigerians to vote for candidates of their choice. If these conditions persist, the elections may not be free and fair.
“The failure to stop the Central Bank from making life too difficult for the common man, the scarcity of petroleum, the unease everywhere and the over-heating of the polity are occurring at the wrong time. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is ultimately responsible for conditions that erode confidence in the outcome of this election,” the organisation stated.
In the statement signed by Rescue Nigeria’s leadership members, Biodun Durojaiye and Tunde Odediran, it remarked that local and international pro-democracy organisations must be on high alert because words and promises alone could not guarantee a smooth transition of power in Nigeria. “We must be skeptical and protect the election before voting starts, during voting, at counting and until we have the correct results. The citizens have a duty to protect democracy,” it added.
According to the organisation, Nigerians are worn out after months of intense politicking that has divided the people along ethnic, religious and other demographic lines, adding that these standard of living issues were completely man-made and avoidable.
It said, “It is time to equip the people with the resources needed for good living, and that includes free movement, access to cash, safe neighborhoods and the absence of government-induced headaches.”
The organisation observed that it was insufficient for the government to promise successful elections without backing it up with conditions that provide the confidence that the elections would hold, safety would be guaranteed during the election and guarantees that votes would count.
Citing the recent election in Osun State, Rescue Nigeria said it hoped the Independent National Electoral Commission had learnt lessons from “its mistakes and is ready to build confidence in the electoral process and democracy, stressing that Nigerians expect the elections to be free and fair.
“In no part of the world has there been a perfect election, but we expect that INEC will be so prepared that its own conduct and adherence to electoral rules and regulations will provide assurance about the integrity of the entire process, beyond normal isolated cases of contention. INEC must assure Nigerians it is ready to hold the election properly.”
It said INEC’s decisions must not be influenced by the government, the political parties or powerful politicians, that the Commission must be bold and truthful in its assessments and it must know that its actions will determine the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
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