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TMG Requires Peaceable, Free, and Truthful Elections
Nigerians will go to the polls on February 25 and March 11 to elect the president and nationwide legislators, and governors and state legislators, respectively. It’s the seventh back-to-back elections, in a area the place the chance of coup detat is on the rise.
The Transition Monitoring Group commends Nigerians, particularly the younger folks that have proven nice enthusiasm since preparations commenced for the 2023 election. We urge Nigerians of all non secular, ethnic and regional divides to exit on the scheduled dates to solid their votes to elect leaders throughout the assorted ranges.
The transition monitoring group is working along with numerous civil society networks throughout the nation to mobilize voters, educate the general public, and monitor voting all through the nation. We will be monitoring the next key points and can launch statements and studies on the conduct and high quality of the elections based mostly on discipline studies from our observers. We may even attain out to vital establishments and businesses on the frontline of planning and administering the 2023 elections.
INEC neutrality: we name on INEC to proceed to display neutrality and respect for its introduced processes and pointers. That is necessary to keep up public confidence within the course of. We additional urge the INEC Chairman to make sure the best stage of integrity and professionalism all through the fee, together with nationwide commissioners, state electoral commissioners, electoral officers and all returning officers.
Satisfactory and well timed deployment of delicate and non-sensitive supplies: we urge INEC to comply with its timeline and procedures to realize the well timed launch and distribution of all important and non-essential supplies. Additional, we urge INEC to stay resolute in its dedication to free and honest elections. Not too long ago, the Fee commenced day by day briefing on the elections. We urge the Fee to maintain to its promise and proceed to talk to Nigerians to keep up their confidence and help.
Avoidance of intimidation and voter suppression: we name all political actors, particularly political events and their supporters to shun each temptation to intimidate and suppress opposition or another group of individuals from exercising their rights. One of many hallmarks of a thriving democracy is the chance for folks to carry and help completely different candidates of their selection. It’s vital subsequently that each one eligible Nigerian voter can train their civic duties freed from intimidation and threats of any nature. We urge all safety businesses to be vigilant and take motion to ensure the protection of all voters. Specifically, we predict safety businesses should pay specific consideration to hard-to-reach communities the place the chance of intimidation and voter suppression is increased.
Particular Consideration for girls, aged and Individuals With Disabilities (PWDs):
TMG calls on the Fee to prevail on polling officers to offer particular consideration to ladies, the aged and Individuals with Disabilities. TMG can be observing and documenting the general inclusivity of the election by means of the conduct of the Fee to the marginalized teams and expects the polling officers to help and supply help to the aged, pregnant ladies particularly and PwDs to train their franchise with out problem.
Further safety for safety flashpoints: numerous knowledgeable studies and analyses have recognized greater than twenty states described as excessive threat of violence. The states embody all six states within the southwest, the BAY states within the northeast, elements of the southeast and south-south and the northwest area. We urge INEC and all of the partnering safety businesses to develop safety plans for the high-risk areas and work with native actors to mitigate the threats to voters and each particular person on election duties. TMG may even be observing and reporting from throughout the 774 native authorities areas of the nation on the conduct of safety personnel throughout the election. We hereby urge the safety personnel to be impartial of their conduct on the polling models whereas prioritizing the safety of voters and election supplies.
Desist from vote buying and selling:
TMG calls on the political class and their supporters to desist from all types of vote buying and selling which reached condemnable heights throughout the earlier state-level elections. Residents are additionally urged to shun the act which is against the law punishable beneath the nation’s legal guidelines. TMG urges the deployment of the Impartial Corrupt Practices and different associated Offences Fee (ICPC) and the Financial and Monetary Crime Fee (EFCC) to observe polling models and arrest and prosecute political brokers and residents who have interaction in vote buying and selling throughout the election.
Adhere to the Nationwide Peace Accord Agreements:
TMG applauds all of the political events and their presidential candidates that signed the nationwide peace accord. With the latest signing, each candidate and their events have now dedicated to an moral code of conduct and to eschew all types of violence. Due to this fact, we urge all candidates and their political events to advertise the nationwide peace accord and encourage their supporters to respect the provisions of the peace accord. The uncontrolled hate and inflammatory statements attributed to candidates and their supporters is a supply of fear. And we hope that political events and their supporters will desist from all types of actions able to imperilling the progress of this nation and protect our younger democracy earlier than, throughout and after the elections.
Show Nice Sportsmanship in Defeat and Victory: Like each different competitors, elections are to be gained and misplaced. Dropping at the moment doesn’t imply one can not win tomorrow. Therefore, TMG is looking on politicians to be nice sportsmen within the election. We count on those that don’t win to simply accept defeat and the place they’re aggrieved to think about using all authorized means to hunt redress.
In conclusion
TMG appreciates the worldwide and nationwide observers who’re observing the elections throughout the nation because the group assures of its openness to collaborate with stakeholders throughout the nation on environment friendly statement of the election. TMG invitations companions to go to its statement information centre on the Transcorp Hilton Resort, Abuja.
This deployment is made doable by means of the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Native Engagement (SCALE) mission applied by Palladium with the beneficiant help of the American folks by means of the United State Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID). TMG will prefer to make it clear that the views expressed herein don’t symbolize these of USAID or america Authorities.
TMG, subsequently, appears to be like ahead to a free, honest and credible presidential election on Saturday, twenty fifth February 2023.
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)
Chairman, TMG
