2023: Ex-Ebonyi commissioner seeks conduct of all elections same day
A former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ebonyi, Chief Abia Onyike, on Wednesday, called for conduct of all elections same day during the 2023 general elections.
Onyike, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that this had become necessary in view of the need to further entrench democracy in Nigeria.
The former commissioner, while stating said that the conduct of all elections in one day was possible, urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review its capacity in that regard.
According to Onyike, a former Deputy National President of NUJ, the idea will save cost and minimise political manipulations during elections.
“Presidential, National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly elections should be conducted in one day, as this is the general practice all over the world.
“Organising elections in one day will save the country the huge cost usually incurred during staggered elections.
“Also it will not create room for electoral manipulations which had been threatening our democratic process,’’ Onyike added.
He also stressed that conducting elections in one day would provide the electorate the opportunity to demonstrate their will without being unduly influenced.
“So, INEC should go back to the drawing board and review its capacity to conduct all the elections in one day.
“There will be no bandwagon effect and people will vote based on what they know,’’ he said. (NAN)
