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Appeals for calm
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has described last weekend’s Presidential and National Assembly elections as far below reasonable expectations.
According to CAN, this was despite repeated assurance from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about its level of preparedness for the polls.
CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement on Tuesday, called for calm amidst provocative, urging political parties, candidates, supporters and the public to desist from any action that could create needless tensions or stoke any form of violence that could put the country on a precipice.
He specifically asks all presidential candidates to abide by the spirit and letter of the Peace Accord they signed before the elections, reminding them that Nigeria is only country they have, hence they must do everything to keep it safe, united and peaceful.
The CAN President encouraged all political actors, elder statesmen, eminent personalities in the society as well as religious and traditional leaders to make proactive interventions to calm any tensions and nip signs of violence in the bud.
He, equally, asked INEC to do all within its scope of authority to ensure that the will of the people as expressed through the ballots during last Saturday’s presidential and federal legislative elections count.
He said: “CAN leadership has noted with deep concern the recent developments in the country following last weekend’s election. Elections are vital for country’s stability and democratic consolidation, and so the process must be conducted and concluded safely, fairly and credibly.
“Ideally, when people vote, the votes should be counted and allowed to reflect in the result the electoral umpire announced. Anything short of that, remains an aberration in any democratic context and contest.
“Despite the many assurances by INEC about its level of preparedness for the polls, it was observed in many quarters that last Saturday’s elections fell below the reasonable expectations of the people.
“There was late arrival of election materials in parts of the country, malfunction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machines, failure of the planned electronic transmission of results to the virtual results viewing portal amid other structural challenges in the electoral process.
“These have not only cast a shadow of doubt on INEC’s sincerity to deliver a transparent and fair general election this year, but has also threatened the credibility of the entire system. It is, therefore, important that explanation be given to Nigerians as to why the preventable lapses were not addressed in a timely manner.
“INEC must rise to the occasion in the face of this precarious situation and do everything possible to win back the slipping confidence of the people in the electoral system, especially as the country prepares for the governorship and state legislative polls in 11 days time.”
He reminded INEC that the international community is watching the behaviour of Federal Government and its agencies, especially the police, the army and the other law enforcement agents, to see how far they respect the country’s constitution, the rule of law and the obligation to act well in playing their roles in respect of elections.
He, however, commended the electorates for the huge number of voter turnout, which is even more than the population of several countries. “However, the implication is that, once anything goes wrong in our country, it will have a ripple effect across West Africa and beyond.”
