Date Published: 03/22/10

NIGERIA DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY FORUM

(NDLF)

Convener of the NIGERIA PEOPLES' PARLIAMENT IN DIASPORA (NPPID)

  PRESS RELEASE:

Fire Maurice Iwu now & Reform the Electoral Process

New York, NY, March 21st 2010: T he Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) convener of the Nigeria Peoples' Parliament In Diaspora (NPPID)  hereby emphasizes one of the resolutions of the NPPID calling for the immediate sack and investigation of Prof. Maurice Iwu by the Acting President-Mr. Jonathan Goodluck.

The  NDLF  affirms the demand of the historic Peoples' Parliament in New York, that as we approach the 2011 elections, our nascent democracy requires a credible umpire who can instill confidence in the electoral process. In order to move the country beyond the tragedy which Maurice Iwu has independently supervised which resulted in numerous elections that were overturned, impostors who hijacked the peoples' mandate and an unprecedented scale of electoral irregularities and corruption, the country requires someone who has an unblemished record and whose profile can attract credible Nigerians to vie for political offices.

The NDLF would advise the INEC Chairman that no one is hoodwinked by the election time table he issued which was a preemptive strike against his been possibly relieved of his position. He should note that his game is over and should spare Nigerians such a charade. In any decent society Maurice Iwu would not be tasked with conducting elections in a village association let alone that of a country.

We would also implore Mr. Jonathan Goodluck to appreciate the opportunity providence has thrown at him to rise above parochial political party consideration, the sustenance of  a destructive status quo and act patriotically to focus and embark on a sweeping electoral reform. For too long a culture of election going to the highest bidder and selection of public officials by a clique of discredited Nigerians and politicians should be replaced with a true democracy which is fundamentally based on the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes prevailing.

The Acting President should immediately put a stop to the activities of the corrupt state governors and national assembly members who are currently scheming to ensure that Iwu keeps his seat. This he (Mr. Goodluck) can do by promptly showing the INEC Chief the way out as we all turn the page of the horror scripts which the Maurice Iwu era has come to epitomize in the Nigerian democracy.

Also, the Justice Uwais electoral reform panel's recommendations should be a starting point in the reform of Nigeria's defective electoral system. The Nigerian government should be committed to ensuring the emergence of a people approved electoral process.

The NDLF  would partner with civil society organizations, local and foreign election monitors and volunteers to ensure that we can challenge the validity of election results in Nigeria if those who are in power are not willing or ready to do what is right for the evolution and sustenance of democracy.

The non ruling Nigerian political parties and the Nigerian media should constitute an Electoral Bureau that can also monitor voters register at the time of compilation, background of INEC officials and field workers, have monitors at polling booths, at ward, local government and state levels to collate election results with the use of appropriate modern technology devices. This effort they would realize would be far cheaper and effective than hiring the array of Senior Advocates of Nigeria  per electoral challenge and also corrupting judicial officers to give judgment in their favors. Nigerian political parties should  move away from the 'short cuts' and 'fixes' and embark on a deliberate, planned and sustained efforts in being a genuine stakeholder in the Nigerian democracy

Signed

Bukola Oreofe

Executive Director

NDLF

Dr. Willie Nwiido

Director, International Relations and Public Affairs

NDLF