**urges INEC not to disenfranchise voters
The National Consultative Front, NCFront, promoters of the Third Force Movement has condemned in strong terms the high level of vote buying and cash inducement which characterized the seemingly peaceul and fairly well coordinated Ekiti State elections.
There were widely reported cases of agents of the three major political parties that participated in the Saturday 18th June 2022 Gubernatorial election in Ekiti, namely APC, PDP and SDP, unashamedly and openly engaging in vote buying and cash inducement of voters and security operatives without fear or regard for possible sanctions.
The political movement is demanding a proper investigation of reported cases of this malfeasance while calling for adequate sanctions to curb the ugly trend.
A statement issued by Ncfront Spokesperson
Dr Yunusa Tanko said the group which held its Strategic Review Meeting of key Leaders and Stakeholders of the Movement on Tuesday, 21st June 2022 at the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Victoria Island, Lagos warned that vote buying could ultimately mar the outcomes of the 2023 general elections despite commendable improvements in the electoral process hitherto achieved by INEC.
The meeting which was both virtual and physical, was chaired by the National Leader of NCFront, Prof Pat Utomi and attended by the National Secretary, Mr. Wale Okunniyi; the Southwest Chairman – Mr. Lanre Adenuga, the Lagos State Chairman – Mr. Adeniji Adegboyega and many other eminent personalities
Others included Mr. Akin Braithwaite, Mr. Kunle Olatunji, Pastor Funke Awolowo, Mrs. Ifeka Ebere, etc.
The group called on INEC to pay urgent attention to and decisively take steps to ensure that vote buyers and sellers as well as those who sponsor and enable them are arrested and promptly prosecuted.
“It is worrisome that in spite of widespread reports and criticisms against vote buying and monetary inducement of voters and security personnel in previous election, INEC has not taken any notable bold steps to bring offenders to justice.
“Such attitude could be misinterpreted as acceptance, collaboration or helplessness on the part of INEC if not confronted urgently and drastically.
Among other measures, NCFront Third Force Movement suggested the deployment of intelligence enabled technology, training of electoral and security personnel and other reliable evidence gathering methods in order to bring an end to this dangerous trend. “Vote buying and electoral bribery rob the electorate of the chance to select right leaders and give undue advantage to those who have looted our treasuries and held the nation corruptively captive.
“The group also expressed concern over the pains and challenges being experienced by huge crowds of enthusiastic and patriotic adult citizens who are daily trooping out to INEC offices to get registered for their Permanent Voter’s Cards.
“While it sees the massive turn out of these Nigerians as encouraging, it questioned the inadequate deployment of registering machines and personnel to locations close to the people and particularly on work free days for convenience.”
INEC should take advantage of the opportunity of offers of accommodation and financial support by public spirited Nigerians to ensure all eligible voters are registered and given their PVC.lIf 2023 elections would be free, fair, transparent, credible and a true reflection of the will of the Nigerian people. “INEC must leave no stone unturned in registering voters and delivering their PVCs to them. The meeting frowned at past experience where INEC claimed to have had in its warehouses, but in wrong places, millions of uncollected voter’s cards, thereby depriving millions of eligible voters the opportunity to vote because their cards were not found in the rightfully designated collection centres.
NCFront plans to publish a website where Nigerians who have registered for PVC but could not collect their cards would register and interact with INEC officials until they receive them. The websites would be accessible to the voting public, INEC and all electoral process monitoring teams. The group says it must not be business as usual where INEC gives the government and people an impression that all is well whereas millions of interested voters are disenfranchised, frustrated and denied their right to vote.The Third Force Movement also resolved to strengthen its working relationship with Leaders of the Labour Party, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the Peter Obi Campaign Organisation and other Stakeholders. Furthermore, he said, NCFront is determined to see through to fruition ongoing alliance talks with formidable political parties and movements in order to achieve its primary objective of rescuing Nigeria from those who have held it captive in the last 23 years with deception, political bigotry, cluelessness and arrogance.
“We must take back Nigeria and place it on the path of genuine peace, unity, progress and development wrapped in equity.
The Leadership of NCFront Third Force urged its members worldwide to remain steadfast and work hard for the success of its adopted Mega Party, the Labour Party, not only for the success of HE Mr. Peter Obi in the presidential elections but also work massively for the success of the party at the gubernatorial, senatorial, federal house of representatives and state houses of Assembly elections.