By Orji Sampson
Members of Imo Women for Peace and Good Leadership Initiative IMOWPGLI, has expressed their displeasure on the role of National Assembly, especially the Senate on the rejection of electronic Transmission of election results.
The Women group who made their position known in a release made available to Trumpeta also demanded that that President Muhammadu Buhari should withhold assent on the NASS bill on electronic transmission of results stating that its not the will of Nigerians
“We the members of IMOWPGLI hereby state that Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of results is anti-democracy.
“IMOWPGLI is a Non-Governmental Organization of concerned Imo women who not only strive for inclusion of women in governance but also to improve socio-economic opportunities for the girl child, eliminate all forms of abuse and discrimination suffered by them.
“We have watched with keen interest developments on the political scene in this country and how the political class has continued to take the nation backward when other democracies are making progress in their respective states.
“We note with great disappointment that after the heated argument on electronic transmission of electoral results the Senate still failed the people by rejecting a popular step that is expected to enthrone transparency in our democratic process.
“We are amazed that a government that is championing the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to improve its processes and quality of life, its leadership would be shying away from adopting the same thing it claims to hold so dear.
IMOWPGLI cannot but view it as hypocritical that the country’s political leadership that adopts and cherishes the use of electronic banking, (eg ATM), National Identification Number (NIN), e-business, phone communications and every automated processes would reject the use of electronic processes to transmit election results. Are we no longer in an IT age?
“The decision of the Senate is clearly not reflecting the massive opinions of Nigerians nationwide and globally but that of the selfish interest of politicians who do not bother about good governance. They are still bent on rigging the processes which excludes credible candidates Our concern is that a flawed process risks putting our women and our children, the most vulnerable group, in continuous challenges arising from throwing up fraudulent leaders who can only give what they have.
“We align ourselves with the views of Nigerian League of Women Voters (NILOWV) on the issue of astronomical increase of campaign funds. The upping of the campaign funds by over 1500 percent is a deliberate effort to exclude and disenfranchise women.
