Olusegun Ariyo
Former Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and state governors to adopt the Uwais report.
Okechukwu said they should muster the political will to use the Uwais handgun to deepen Nigeria’s democracy and catapult the country to giant status.
In a statement he signed, the founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said there would be no genuine electoral reforms without the Uwais Report’s handgun.
According to Okechukwu: “Whilst one commends the efforts of Messers Jibrin Barau, Benjamin Kalu, Salsiu Mustapha, Ikenga Ugochinyere and host of other Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members in their electoral reform bid; however there will be no genuine electoral reform without the Uwais Electoral Report’s Handgun – which is truly independent INEC & SIEC.”
He noted that this will be achieved by amending the constitutional nomination process of INEC and SIEC as recommended by Uwais Report interalia: “Advertise all positions, spelling out requisite Qualifications, Receive Applications/Nominations from the General Public, Shortlist 3 Persons for each position and send to the National Council of State to select one from the Shortlist and forward to the Senate for Confirmation.”
Okechukwu said that this crucial amendment will make INEC and SIEC truly independent and will ensure the highest quality and the highest standard of our general elections.
He opined that an impartial INEC and SIEC will automatically wipe out negative electoral mindsets from Nigerians, reduce apathy, minimise electoral violence and consign Professor Humphrey Nwosu’s June 12, 1999 to 2nd place.
Okechukwu also submitted that the “legacy of truly independent INEC and SIEC, will consolidate political culture of free, fair and transparent elections, entrench rule of law and progressive society; whereby President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s critics will be silenced and programs like financial autonomy of local government councils and regional development intervention commissions will flourish.”
