Ex-NERC Chairman, Sam Amadi urges NASS to probe INEC’s expenditure on 2023 elections | Read More
Dr Sam Amadi, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has called on the National Assembly to investigate the N400billion the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC used for the 2023 general election.
Amadi made this call while lecturing members of the Labour Party on Wednesday, June 12, Democracy Day in Abuja.
The guest speaker maintained that INEC should explain to Nigerians why the 2023 election results were not collated and declared electronically as provided in the amended INEC electoral Act.
“Nigerians and indeed the National Assembly should be courageous enough to probe INEC expenditure during the 2023 general elections. The failure of the INEC server during the Presidential election with all the money given to them.
“It is appalling that no one spoke about the huge amount of money given Mahmood Yakubu and all the INEC commissioners to prosecute a failed election, failed because the Supreme Court has to step in to determine the result of elections”.
Furthermore, Dr Amadi, insisted that the ongoing electoral reform must reject the inconsistency of allowing the Presidency to appoint an INEC Chairman, stressing that such gives room for election rigging before the votes are cast.
“What is imminent here is that they have already positioned party members as INEC commissioners against 2027 where they would work and declare the results in favour of the Presidency that appointed them.
“To this end, opposition parties should work together to win the war on electoral reform. It is time for you to decide whether to be the vanguard of change or not and set up a system that can win elections, this is because politics is not a game of possible’, ‘ if we are determined, we will win” a statement issued by Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party quoted Amadi as saying.
Amadi further admonished members of the Labour Party members, to reminiscence on the Nigerian political terrain to determine how to go about the upcoming 2027 election.
“I think it is an error for any political party to go into any election without strengthening its process. You must take a review of your past, your mistakes and opportunities and weigh options with training of staff and support for the electoral reform, things will positively work out”, he added.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, said there is a similarity between the military regime of 1993 that annulled the general elections and the 2023 election.
Abure said that one of the cardinal strong points to prepare the Labour Party again for the 2027 general elections, is to ensure a holistic approach to electoral reform, to ensure that the party followers are well-educated.
Labour Party National Assembly members who spoke at the occasion, appealed to members to shun internal crises and to eschew division in the party.
Hon. Victor Adam Oghene, leader of the Labour Party Reps. caucus, while speaking promised that electoral reform which has passed the second reading at the lower Chamber would ensure that the reform is passed into law and early enough against the 2027 general elections.
Also, the Chairman of the Political Commission of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Mr. Martins Egbanubi corroborated that there is no division in the Labour Party as rumoured. “We don’t have two factional leadership and there can never be so the Labour Party remains united and strong”.
