The current situation at the collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Nigerians are witnessing is whipping up more concerns.
Latest to make a demand from the INEC on the matter is the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The labour union is making a serious demand from the electoral body that is reeling out results through a manual process.
The BVAS has been abandoned after so much hype of that machine bringing a free, fair and credible election. This decision to give manual election results to Nigerians is birthing concerns of manipulation.
An Illegitimate Government
In a statement, the union is asking INEC to reconsider the process and make a right decision.
It fears there is trouble ahead of Nigeria if INEC continues to walk the path it is currently walking.
The statement reads: “The NLC once again warns that any election result that does not reflect the wishes of the people will not only spell doom for democracy but will also render the benefiting government of such heist illegitimate.
“Sustainable governments are built on sovereign will.
“The reason is that such government is akin to a coup though not a military one but organised by civilian INEC against the fundamental rights and choices of the people as expressed through the ballot last Saturday.
“Every government needs legitimacy to govern freely. However, this can only be conferred by the will of the people freely given in an election.
“When that will is circumvented by whatsoever means, the government loses the very foundation that it needs to be anchored to find acceptance thus govern”.
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Furthermore, the NLC identified that “these very basic elements are clearly lacking in what INEC seems to be in a rush to plunge Nigeria into”.
Sabotage Of The BVAS
It continues: “As it stands now, the current Presidential result collation lacks legitimacy, as it has been questioned critically by major stakeholders, with INEC unable to give satisfactory explanation to the germane issues raised.
“Since INEC has compromised the sources of the results from the polling units by the mere action of the clear sabotage of the BVAS, an instrument that had hitherto given Nigerians hope for a more free, fair, credible and acceptable election in 2023, there is nothing that will restore this hope and build belief than to go back to the results as captured by the BVAS.
“If this is no longer possible, we call for a pause in further announcement of the Presidential results and carry out a backward review before deciding on the way forward”.
Also, the labour union expresses concern that INEC would give Nigerians “an “Abiku or Ogbanje” that is billed to give us so much trouble and eventually die in infancy.
“This nation must be saved from this avoidable disaster”.
READ THE FULL NLC STATEMENT ON THE COLLATION OF ELECTION RESULTS
BUILD GOVERNMENT ON SOVEREIGN WILL
The NLC once again warns that any election result that does not reflect the wishes of the people will not only spell doom for democracy but will also render the benefiting government of such heist illegitimate.
Sustainable governments are built on sovereign will. The reason is that such government is akin to a coup though not a military one but organised by civilian INEC against the fundamental rights and choices of the people as a expressed through the ballot last Saturday.
Every government needs legitimacy to govern freely. However, this can only be conferred by the will of the people freely given in an election.
When that will is circumvented by whatsoever means, the government loses the very foundation that it needs to be anchored to find acceptance thus govern.
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These very basic elements are clearly lacking in what INEC seems to be in a rush to plunge Nigeria into.
As it stands now, the current Presidential result collation lacks legitimacy as it has been questioned critically by major stakeholders with INEC unable to give satisfactory explanation to the germane issues raised.
Since INEC has compromised the sources of the results from the polling units by the mere action of the clear sabotage of the BVAS an instrument that had hitherto given Nigerians hope for a more free, fair, credible and acceptable election in 2023, there is nothing that will restore this hope and build belief than to go back to the results as captured by the BVAS.
An “Abiku Or Ogbanje”
If this is no longer possible, we call for a pause in further announcement of the Presidential results and carry out a backward review before deciding on the way forward.
The NLC is seriously worried knowing that a government that lacks legitimacy is like a fish out of water and can only survive by the sheer strength of brutal force thus a recipe for national disaster.
INEC should therefore, not give Nigerians an “Abiku or Ogbanje” that is billed to give us so much trouble and eventually die in infancy. This nation must be saved from this avoidable disaster.
INEC must allow reason to prevail and remove tis legs from the pedal that is clearly headed for the rocks.
No good will come from where it is taking Nigerians to. We are sure that a government that is unacceptable to the people will suffer severely and may be prone to social instability.
This illegitimate result must not be announced.
A stitch in time they say, saves nine.
Let us consider this nation first before our selfish designs. We will not accept a government built on fraud ad we are sure that other critical national stakeholders will also not accept such contraption.
Comrade Joe Ajaero
President
