By Victor Akaa, Abuja
The joint convener of the national interest group Yusuf Dantalle has rejected the report presented by Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room about the 2019 general elections, saying the report was not in tandem and was not a true true reflection of the realities of the 2019 elections.
Mr Dantalle made his position in a joint statement by the national interest group in Abuja.
Dantalle argued that rather than apportioning blames to the electoral umpire for the conduct of the elections, the political gladiators, security agents as well as lack of an enabling legal framework has negatively contributed to the credibility of the election.
He therefore urged the national assembly members that upon their resumption from the two months recess, speedily work on the Electoral Act amendment and further transmit it to the President for assent.
The Nigeria civil society situation room had earlier in the week rolled out some of the lapses they have encountered in the course of monitoring the the conduct of the 2019 election and said it had undermined the credibility of the election.
Meanwhile, the President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Oladele John Nihi has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider his position and include more youths in political appointment.
Oladele said it was unfortunate that after the have championed a course and worked for the successful election of the President, youths were still not favoured by the recent ministerial appointment constituted by president Buhari.
He then acknowledged that the last election was youth friendly, saying most of the youths were favoured in the state houses of assembly and subsequently emerged as speakers in some state of the federation.
Also speaking, the chairmen of political parties ,headed by chief Perry Opara scored the Independent National Electoral Commission high, saying the election processes adopted in the last election were impressive.
“The election processes chosen by INEC were of the best standards ever witnessed in the country”.
“INEC interacted with political parties and was transparent to parties at every level and took inputs into considerations ”.
Opara further called on Nigerians to join hands for nation building since the electioneering period has gone, employed all aggrieved politicians to seek redress in the competent court of jurisdiction
The national interest group is made up of chairmen of 75 political parties, members of forum of 60 presidential candidates,National Youth Council of Nigeria, Middle-Belt Youth Vanguard, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Movement, Arewa Consultative Youth Forum amongst others.
