UNITED PROGRESSIVE PARTY (UPP)
NATIONAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA
Loading ...5th October, 2017
The Hon. Chairman
Independent National Electoral Commission
Zambezi Crescent
Maitama – Abuja.
Dear Sir,
COMMENDATION FOR THE FIRM ASSURANCE FOR THE USE OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY
TO CONDUCT THE NOVEMBER 18, 2017 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN ANAMBRA
STATE BY THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
The National Working Committee of our great party resolved to commend
your Commission for your repeated and firm assurances to Political
Parties and their candidates as well as major stakeholders and the
Anambra State electorate that plans have been concluded by INEC to
apply the upgraded Card Reader machines for the November 18
Governorship election in the State. You did not stop by giving
political leaders these assurances you proceeded to demonstrate to the
leaders and other stakeholders how the upgraded Card Readers will make
the conduct of the election free, fair, transparent and credible. You
assured that the election will be won and lost at the polling units
where votes will be cast, counted, recorded and directly transmitted
from the polling unit to the Central Server at Awka in the presence of
Political Party agents.
This will mark a watershed and indeed a new dawn in the democratic
process in Nigeria starting with the Anambra state election. It is a
cheering news to our supporters and the general public that the
notorious Ward and Local Government Collation Centres where election
results were previously manipulated in favour of the highest bidder
thereby shortchanging the electorate that came out innocently to
exercise their franchise and fulfill their civic responsibility by
voting for the candidate of their choice.
We are convinced that this commendable innovation shall effectively
address the problem of voter apathy which usually resulted to abysmal
voter participation in elections in Nigeria.
Our great Party, the United Progressive Party (UPP) is especially
excited about this development because we have for the past 5 years
been very vocal about the use of modern technology to conduct
elections in Nigeria. This is motivated by the fact that we have
always believed that democracy can only strive and be deepened in our
country if the choice of the electorate is respected and eligible
Nigerians empowered through efficient and credible process to decide
who represent or govern them at all levels.
Honourable Chairman Sir, with every sense of patriotism we appeal to
the Commission to publish as a matter of urgency a concise and
unambiguous statement stating the process that the conduct of the
Anambra Governorship election will follow. This can be produced in the
form of fliers for easy distribution to the AnambraState electorate.
This is because the process is innovative and is going to be adopted
for the very first time in Nigeria, therefore, a voter education and
sensitization material emanating from the Commission shall go a long
way in convincing the voting public that the message we are passing
onto them is authentic. Our field experience is that the public is
still skeptical about this upgraded Card Reader innovation but a
direct intervention by INEC will greatly help the sensitization
effort.
The United Progressive Party pledges to synergize with the Commission
in the distribution of the material at no extra cost to the
Commission. We again commend you for your single-mindedness in
improving and developing democratic culture in Nigeria.
CHIEF DR. CHEKWAS OKORIE
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, UPP
