CATYCOI Presents top 5 youth electoral reform priorities to APGA National Chairman
BY Our Reporter
Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) has presented “top 5 youth electoral reform priorities in Nigeria” to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, for his input.
The electoral reform priorities are; establishment of an electoral offences commission, post-election petition resolutions, timely/electronic transmission of election results, INEC leadership selection process reform, as well as interpretation and amendment of continuous voter registration provisions.
Speaking at APGA Regional Office Awka, Anambra State, during an advocacy visit to the National Chairman of the party on the youth-led electoral reform priorities/recommendations, the Executive Director (CATYCOI) Nonso Orakwe, said the visit was a fallout of past elections that gave youths concerns to embark on survey, which revealed that 57% of the 4,324 respondents were dissatisfied with the election process, and 94% called for urgent constitutional and legal reforms.
He commended Barrister Ezeokenwa for showing competence, capacity and courage in leadership of the party.
Reacting to the reform priorities/ recommendations, the APGA National Chairman, Barrister Ezeokenwa, commended the young people for being interested in the advancement of the country by helping to deepen electoral reforms and constitutional amendment, which he noted have been on the lips of every Nigeria citizen.
He described the 2023 general election as one of the best ever conducted, saying that INEC did a good job; given where the country is coming from.
The APGA National Chairman noted deep-rooted ignorance on electoral process among citizens, reason he recommended that INEC and political parties should take measures to deepen citizens’ knowledge on relevant laws that govern elections in Nigeria.
On post-election petition resolutions, he agreed, but noted that the court is over burdened, reason he called for innovations to ensure that even pre-election matters are concluded within 4 months, and that court should not interfere with how political parties select their candidates.
On INEC leadership selection process, the APGA National Chairman, who opposed a sitting President appointing, noted that the integrity of an election is dependent on the process of selection of umpires, and suggested the use of retired justices as INEC Chairman and National Commissioners, or members of the National Judicial Council in recommending to President with constitutional backings because of their specialized trainings on being unbiased.
On establishment of an electoral offences commission, Barrister Ezeokenwa, who disagreed with CATYCOI, said that there are proliferation of agencies and commissions in Nigeria that do nothing, and instead suggested that the office of the Attorney General of a state and or the federation should be different from that of the Commissioner or Minister for justice, and that the attorneys should handle electoral offences; depending on whether the offences are classified as state or federal crimes.
On continuous voter registration exercise, Barrister Ezeokenwa, who noted that credible voters register also helps in ensuring integrity of an election, called for one centralized/unified data management commission that will help INEC get and maintain a credible voter register, as well as other agencies in their works, thereby helping the nation save money.
On timely/electronic transmission of election results, the APGA National Chairman said Nigerians should instead be talking about electronic collation of results or electronic voting.
He expressed delight that young people have the potential to reposition the country for greatest in the nearest future, but noted that politicians use ethnicity and religion to manipulate the citizens.
Insisting that only through credible election shall Nigerians get accountable leaders, the APGA National Chairman urged young people to get involved in politics and electoral process, adding that if politics is a dirty game, someone should refine it.
