The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, on Saturday unequivocally condemned the alleged media reports of the clandestine nomination of All Progressives Congress’ card-carrying members into the decision-making structure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The group said the appointment of the individual APC members at all levels was a strategy to influence the process and outcome of the 2023 general elections.
According to the group, the provisions of the 1999 Constitution stipulated the compositions and major appointments into the structure of the electoral body adding that the appointment of APC members into the electoral body is an aberration.
“We are displeased by the apparent partisanship and favoritism reported through the nominations of the party’s card-carrying members as INEC Commissioners and State Resident Electoral Commissioners.” The group said.
In a statement by the Chairman, Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), said the nomination was a decoy to rig the 2023 election in favor of the ruling party.
“Some Nigerians alleged that the recent unmerited perceptions and strategic deployments across the country initiated within the Commission were to upturn votes or create inconclusive situations that will be exploited by unscrupulous politicians in forcing or rigging their way into power.
“We are more concerned by the potential I, the impact of such a major push from the Presidency on the overall credibility, transparency and integrity of the upcoming elections in 2023.
“Just as we condemn in totality the appointments of card-carrying members of any political party as a controlling strategy that can compromise the competence and objectivity of INEC, under which the independence and integrity of the Commission cannot be guaranteed to deliver free, fair and credible elections.
“TMG on this note call on President Muhammadu Buhari to in the spirit of his administration’s commitment to anti-corruption and transparency, withdraw all names of political party chieftains or card-carrying members contained in the nominations; and consider for immediate replacements, persons of integrity and unquestionable character, to demonstrate non-partisanship in the selections and nominations.
“We call on the National Assembly to reject confirmation of all nominated party chieftains and insist on transparency and non-partisanship in the selections, to uphold democratic value and electoral integrity, while proving respect for the sanity and sanctity of the rule of law.
“We also call on INEC to give detailed verifiable positions of the nominated persons and rationale for their selections as well as prerequisite for the recent adjustments in the Commission’s structure and compositions at all levels.” The statement stated.
