Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has called on grassroots political aspirants to carry out issue- based campaigns and eschew politics of bitterness that impeded the nation’s democratic development.
The National Publicity Secretary Caretaker Committee of the party, Amb. Agbo Major, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday assured aspirants of a level playing field as they jointly strive to build a new Nigeria which all citizens will be proud of.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral as the electoral umpire and conduct free, fair, credible, transparent, generally acceptable, inclusive and peaceful elections.
According to him, the Electoral Act 2022 which provides for a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results has renewed Nigerians’ confidence in the electoral process.
“Since election is the beauty of democracy, the ballot box must be sacrosanct. Every vote must be counted and count in the overall result and the people’s mandates must be respected by all candidates and stakeholders in the political process.
“To safeguard the integrity of the ballot and ensure eligible voters are not disenfranchised, INEC should effectively tackle all observed challenges associated with the poor performance of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in recent polls.
“The upcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States provide another opportunity to perfect the use of BVAS and electronic transmission of results that will ensure a hitch free general election in 2023.
“Since Independence in 1960, Nigerians have never had it so bad despite trillions of naira borrowed from foreign countries to improve the wellbeing of the people.
“The situation is equivalent to pouring water in a bottomless pit. Sadly, the nation gropes in the dark of power outage, perennial fuel scarcity, elongated insecurity, hunger, economic recession, political upheavals, confusion and uncertainty as if there is no government in place,” he said.
He further explained that NNPP is being repositioned, reorganised and expanded to accommodate millions of Nigerians yearning for a change in government at all levels in the country ahead of the crucial 2023 general election.
He said after over 22 years of constitutional rule, Nigerians desire and deserve a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous and equitable democratic society. Previous governments failed to make the Nigerian dream possible.
“As a mass movement, a third leg in the nation’s political tripod and a leading opposition party in the country, the New Nigeria People’s Party has become the beautiful bride of Nigerian democracy.
“The ongoing alignment and realignment of political forces are eloquent testimony of the Party’s determination to win future elections in the country and salvage our dear nation from the jaws of political buccaneers masquerading as democrats with the sole intention to loot our common patrimony,” he said.
