By SUNNY OKIM

As the 2023 general elections are fast approaching, the National Consultative Front (NCFront), in collaboration with the Leaders of Conscience, have concluded plans to counter alleged plot by the ruling class to rig the elections.

As a first step towards this, the Ghali Naaba-led political movement is convening an all inclusive stakeholders' consultative parley in Abuja this week to rally against a situation, where opportunistic politicians, power mongers and mischief makers will continue to exploit what it refers to as "flawed and inadequate electoral laws as weapons of manipulation, exploitation and destruction of the Nigerian people".

The Front made this known in a statement signed by its

Head, Public Affairs Bureau,

Dr Tanko Yunusa, a copy of which was made available to News Express Sunday evening.

According to the statement, NCFront is reaching out and rallying like-minded stakeholders from all walks of life to speak with one voice on this "national emergency threatening the future of Nigeria's democracy".

The Front particularly mentioned five sections of the proposed electoral act which must be looked at closely and amended accordingly, in order to foreclose plot by the ruling class to rig or hijack the 2023 general elections.

The sections are "Section 3 (3) which deals with INEC finance, Section 50(2), which touches on electronic elections, including electronic accreditation, electronic voting, electronic counting, collation and transmission of results simultaneously from every polling unit, ward collation centre, LGA collation centre, state collation centre to zonal and national collation centre and situation rooms. Section (65), which borders on announcement of results under duress, Section (76), which addresses the issue of political party registration, Section (88), which refers to party funding and the current political normadism and carpet crossing, as well as the emergent yearning for diaspora voting."

The full statement reads (unedited):

PLOT TO RIG 2023 ELECTIONS: NCFront, LEADERS OF CONSCIENCE INITIATE AN ALL STAKEHOLDERS POLITICAL ALLIANCE FOR POPULAR ELECTORAL ACT

.....To convene a major Parley of Frontline Stakeholders & Politicians this week in Abuja

......Call on all Stakeholders and Politicians across party and partisan lines to unite urgently to save Democracy

The National Consultative Front, NCFront of Leaders of Conscience, is compelled again to call on all well-meaning Nigerian Stakeholders across Party lines, Civil Society Groups, Labour Unions, Youths and Women Groups to unite against the thickening plot and conspiracy against the pending electoral act, 2021 by a few politicians in power, who are hellbent in circumventing and supplanting the popular will and yearnings of Nigerians for an improved electoral system in Nigeria.

The Front has consequently commenced a broad nationwide mobilisation of concerned Leaders and stakeholders, including former and intending Presidential Candidates, Party and Political Leaders, Labour and Civil Society Activists, Youth and Women Leaders, among others to urgently meet and demand for a popular, inclusive and generally acceptable amendments to the existing electoral act with the aim of improving Nigeria's nascent Democracy. To that extent the NCfront is reaching out and rallying Like-minded Concerned Stakeholders, Politicians, Civil Society Activists, Leaders of Political Parties, including their Presidential Candidates, eminent Nigerians, including religious leaders, leaders of youths, women and vulnerable persons groups to speak with one voice on this National emergency threatening the future of Nigeria's democracy.

The Front believes it is time for all concerned Nigerians and political Stakeholders, irrespective of divide and affinity to come together to demand for a formidable, inclusive, improved and sustainable electoral act that can build the trust and confidence of Nigerians in the electoral system as it pertains to future elections, beginning with the fast approaching 2023 elections so as to give Nigerians the opportunity and desired voting power to elect their leadership across board for the FIRST TIME and since Nigeria can not afford any other SHAM elections which may further exacerbate the present insecurity and political agitations and tension in the country, hence the need to mobilise Nigerians to get the democratic process right from its foundation

However, in taking up this historical challenge of rallying all concerned forces to come together and salvage the situation, It is the considered view of our Front that Nigerians especially the principal characters in this amendment process especially in the Legislative and Executive arm of government and the leadership of INEC need to understand that they should not be blinded by the immediate percuniary benefits they stand to make which at best may not be for more than eight years but to stand on the side of good conscience and give Nigerians the power to choose their leadership by themselves unhindered.

The import of our clarion call and mobilisation for a common voice of Nigerian Stakeholders and Politicians of Conscience is to demand for credible elections in 2023 by putting in place a new inclusive and improved electoral frame work through the proposed electoral act that must be gotten right from its roots in terms of electronic and diaspora voting, among others

To this end, we strongly advocate that Section 3 (3) of the proposed electoral act, which deals with INEC finance, section 50(2), which touches on electronic elections, including electronic accreditation, electronic voting, electronic counting, collation and transmission of results simultaneously from every polling unit, ward collation centre, LGA collation centre, State collation centre to zonal and national collation centre and situation rooms. Section (65), which borders on announcement of results under duress, Section (76), which addresses the issue of political party registration, section (88), which refers to party funding and the current political normadism and carpet crossing, as well as the emergent yearning for diaspora voting should be revisited so as to improve the integrity of the Nigerian electoral process and prevent political anarchy and the imminent collapse of the country.

Finally, based on the foregoing, NCFront Leaders of Conscience are convening an all inclusive stakeholders' Consultative Parley in Abuja this week to rally against a situation, where opportunistic politicians, power mongers and mischief makers will continue to exploit our flawed and inadequate electoral laws as weapons of manipulation, exploitation and destruction of the Nigerian People. A major plan of action for this new engagement shall be announced at the end of this high powered convergence of political Stakeholders in Nigeria.

Signed:

Dr Tanko Yunusa

Head, Public Affairs Bureau,

08 03 3144131,

0818 845 1511

National Consultative Front, NCFront