By Our correspondent
Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central District, has stressed the importance of timely transmission of electoral results to guarantee election credibility and deepen Nigeria’s democracy.
He stated this while addressing the Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI), a youth group advocating for electoral reforms.
Umeh commended the youths for their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral systems and noted that their reform proposals, including the establishment of an electoral offences commission, timely transmission of election results, and INEC leadership selection process, are crucial for a functional democracy.
He emphasized that electoral reform is a critical process that must be vigorously pursued, and that transparent acquisition of power and leadership creation are essential.
Umeh argued that delay in election results transmission creates room for manipulation and that real-time transmission ensures election outcome certainty.
The lawmaker also advocated for an independent electoral offences commission, resolving election disputes before inauguration, and removing INEC leadership appointments from the office of the president.
He further emphasized the need for continuous voters registration and stringent provisions for failure to register voters.
Umeh assured the group that he would circulate their proposals among his colleagues and urged them to continue their struggles, expressing optimism that the Senators would support their cause.
Earlier, the Executive Director of CATYCOI, Nonso Orakwe, explained that the group chose to visit Senator Umeh due to his capacity and influence in decision-making at the National Assembly.
The Programme Manager, Israel Oji, also explained that the “Top 5 youth Electoral Reform priorities in Nigeria” was a product of surveys conducted by the group, reflecting the minds of youths across the country.
