The Centre for Transparency Advocacy, CTA, has accused the political class of not showing commitment to the new Electoral Act, regretting that they have continued their old ways.

This came as it tasked Nigerians to support the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to resist any attempt to halt the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, in the 2023 general elections.

The group said these at a press conference it addressed, Friday, in Abuja by its Executive Director, Faith Nwadishi.

The press conference was on protecting the use of BVAS and delivering free and credible elections in Nigeria’s 2023
General elections.

Nwadishi, who explained that the event was necessitated by recent development in the polity where an opposition coalition raised the alarm of some alleged plot to halt the use of BVAS and effect leadership change in INEC, insisted that Nigerians must rise up to resist such acts.

“Recent disclosures and developments have again activated in us the responsibility to speak in defence of our country, Nigeria, and her democracy. The 2023 general election, which is 133 days away, is upon Nigeria and Nigerians,” she added.

Noting that,”There is no doubt that Nigerian’s election administration has witnessed a steady improvement in credibility, acceptability, and inclusivity, from the conduct of 2015 and 2019 as well as the 103 off-cycle elections and bye-elections after the 2019 general elections”, she said: “The timetable released by Independent National Electoral Commission in February 2022 identified 14 critical activities to be accomplished by the Commission leading to the election day. “


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She said her group appreciated the steady progress made by the country in its electoral process.

Hear her: CTA is pleased to state that so far, we are impressed with the level of preparation and
accomplishment by the Independent National Electoral Commission the recent of which is the upsurge during the just concluded continuous voter registration exercise. We have observed the innovations introduced by the Electoral Body to increase transparency and ensure credibility of the electoral process.

“These innovations especially those leveraging on technology to improve voter accreditation, and result management have so far increased voter’s confidence in the electoral process.

“CTA observes that some of the pre-election activities are exuding hope and confidence that the process of 2023 general election is on a cheering trajectory.”

The centre, according to Nwadishi, applauded INEC for its ongoing cleanup exercise ahead of the elections, saying the action had instilled hope in Nigerians.

“According to the national Chairman of INEC, prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, the cleaning up of the voter registration data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) that combines the fingerprint and the facial authentication of registered voters is completed.

” 2.7 million invalid registrants were
cleaned up from the system. These include those who are underage, those who had no reason to register as provided by law and those who registered twice.

“This act has shown that the Commission is on the right cause to getting a credible voters register. CTA notes that there can’t be credible elections without a credible register of voters. We therefore commend the Commission for taking steps necessary to protect the integrity of the Register of Voters.

“While INEC has shown sign of progress, we note with surprise that the political class have not produced complementary progress to add to the confidence of Nigerians.

” For instance, they are yet to show commitment to the new Electoral Act and its provisions and continue in their old ways of heating up the polity using hate speeches and not addressing issues. You may recall that CTA in a press conference on 29th September 2022 set an agenda for the campaigns. “

Speaking further on alleged plot to compromise the 2023 elections, the group tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to stand up to the defence of the new innovations in the nation’s electoral process, noting that he was a beneficiary of such process.

“On -14th September 2022, CUPP made startling revelations on the attempt to compromise INEC voter register,she said:”About four weeks later, the same CUPP made another damning revelation on the attempt to compromise the 2023 general elections.

“Before we delve into the substance of
CUPP’s revelations, CTA puts on record that President Buhari is a beneficiary of a free election in 2015 and 2019 made possible by the card reader technology introduced by INEC.

“The president has also promised repeatedly that he will bequeath a legacy of a free, fair and credible elections in 2023. As a beneficiary of free election, one of which led to the defeat of an incumbent, Nigerians strongly believe that there is nothing that will make the President to renege on that important promise to Nigerians.

“However, Nigerians woke up on Wednesday to allegations by Coalition of United Political
Parties (CUPP) about a purported plan by some politicians to compromise the 2023 elections.

“They alleged a plan to pressurise INEC to deactivate the BVAS from its server as well as stop the electronic transmission of results.

“The CUPP alleged that having not received the approval of the INEC leadership to have the BVAS deactivated, these politicians have now activated the move to remove the INEC
leadership.


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“As citizens and stakeholders with an equal stake in the political events in the country, CTA
finds the allegation by CUPP as both worrisome and scary. It is scarier because we are aware of INEC’s attempt to clean up the voter register, there was no public knowledge of what the security agencies did on the first allegation other than what CUPP claimed to be the arrests of those suspected to have leaked the information to CUPP.

“CTA therefore strongly condemns such plans and urges Nigerians to rally around INEC and its current leadership to resist any attempt to halt the use of the BVAS machines as well as protect,”she said.

“We call on media, CSO and all well-meaning citizens to demand that in other to achieve free, fair, and credible elections, INEC must maintain its independence. Every stakeholder must rise to condemn any attempt to coerce the commission and its leadership to jettison the use of BVAS machine.

“It is important to note that the new Electoral Act with its many progressive provisions has
provided legal backing to the innovations,”she further said

“We call on our international partners and friends to continue to support CSOs, the electoral commission and its leadership, patriotic organizations, and groups to safeguard the incremental progress made in our electoral system,”she appealed.