No fewer than 60 Presidential candidates in the 2019 general elections threw their support for President Muhammadu Buhari over his re-election for a second-term, even as they faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over the controversy surrounding the use of a server which they described as unnecessary.
The parties under the aegis of Joint Forum of 60 Presidential Candidates and National Chairmen, at a press conference today, June 25, addressed by Alhaji Mohammed Shittu, said the Independent National Electoral Commission did creditably well. The event was also attended by the Co-Convener of the forum and chairman of West African Coalition of Political Parties, Chief Perry Opara.
Shittu said: “We reiterate that the INEC server controversy is unnecessary. It is a plot to discredit the election as political parties never agreed with INEC in any of the several pre-election meetings that results will be transmitted electronically.
“Parties agreed on a lot of issues with the commission and those were implemented. It is worrisome that only one political party out of 91 is saying a different thing on the presidential election while at the same time praising its performance on the other elections, especially governorship, conducted by the same INEC.
“INEC consulted widely and extensively, and together with stakeholders of which we are a part of, came up with the guidelines for the conduct of the 2019 general elections, which the commission followed to the letter. We recall that nine out of the eleven points for consideration we raised as candidates under the auspices of the Inter-Party Advisory Council and Coalition of United Political Parties respectively were adopted by the Commission. How then can the EU-EOM accuse the commission of a lack of transparency in putting up guidelines for the elections?
“Therefore, the report of the EU-EOM released over a week ago wherein they alleged a lack of transparency in the guidelines of election is bewildering. With all due respect to the EU-EOM, it is left to Nigerians to decide how we conducted our 2019 general elections.
“Going forward, we would like to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment into law once it is presented to him again by the National Assembly. That amendment will hugely improve our electoral system and its processes.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has expressed joy with the group for endorsing the 2019 Presidential elections as free, fair and credible, assuring the President would look into the Electoral Act as the 60 President candidates had advised.
“We are encouraged by the patriotism of the Presidential Candidates expressed in clear and matured language. We are convinced that, regardless of our different political persuasions we can work together to improve electoral integrity in Nigeria.”
The Presidency said it is in agreement with the Joint Forum that “despite the temporary setbacks experienced at the beginning, INEC managed to produce an election in which the voice of the ordinary people counted. Democracy is founded on the will of the people and INEC did well to ensure this outcome was achieved in the 2019 elections.”
The Presidency said: “the success of democracy does not only depend on electoral laws, but also on behaviour, character and attitude of politicians.”
It reiterated that “do-or-die politics is a threat to the success of electoral laws and democracy. And you don’t need to kill in order to serve the people.”
The Presidency assured members of the joint forum of the 60 political parties and chairmen of parties that the President will not spare any effort in signing the Electoral Act into law after looking into it.
