CNPP Rejects Call By INEC To Get Power to Disqualify Candidates

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, December 18th, 2013

Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) Wednesday rejected the request by Independent National Electoral Commission {INEC} to be empowered by National Assembly to disqualify candidates for elections, saying “we vote capital No to that”.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

According to CNPP, “We are saying Capital No based on the hard realities that the issue of disqualification of candidates should be left in the hands of the Judiciary; for INEC as presently constituted is not only in the executive arm, but partisan, partial, inept and cannot earn better trust than the judiciary despite the judiciary’s weak links.

CNPP made her feeling known via a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, and made available to African Examiner in Enugu.

The body said, “It is our considered view that under a truly independent electoral commission and the regime of free, fair and credible elections, where the votes count, the political parties will be forced to embark on in-house censorship, and thorough screening of their candidates to meet up with the peoples’ expectation, hence earn valid votes.

“This is the decent route in all liberal democracies, as empowering a less than transparent INEC will not only erase the little gains made in our march to democratic growth, but lead to unmitigated disaster.

“We call on INEC to request for modern gadgets a sine qua non to free, fair and transparent elections like Electronic Equipment; rather than requesting for despotic powers.

“In sum, we page with the patriotic statement of the Senate President, Senator David Mark that, as 2015 draws nearer, our motivation remains that every valid vote cast during the election must count.

“The conduct of the election must not only be free and fair and credible and acceptable to Nigerians, but must also be acceptable to the international community’