Group accuses INEC of planning systemic disenfranchisement, rigging 2023 election

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The International College of Democracy and Human Rights has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address areas that can cause disenfranchisement and rigging of the coming 2023 presidential election.

The group said beyond disenfranchising many, it has uncovered ways the election may be rigged and called on the commission to address them.

In a statement signed by principal officers of the group, including Emeka Umeagbalasi, a human rights activist, the group which consists of academics, rights activists, and international organizations listed 20 ways the commission is disenfranchising many, and 10 ways it plans to rig the election.

The group said: “Shrinking of delineation of constituencies, registration and voting centres targeted at a particular ethnoreligious group or groups on the grounds of their tribe or religion, provision of inadequate manpower and machines for registration and their deployment in non-Muslim areas especially South-East and South-South are some of the ways.

“Also malfunctioning of voters’ registration machines targeted at a particular ethnoreligious group/groups in the Northern and Southern areas, discriminatory programming of registration machines using computer command languages or instructions, Non-issuance or discriminatory issuance of PVCs to registered voters.”

The group said it also uncovered secret programming of the registration machine, deliberate and discriminatory policy of capturing minors and the underage in the North are some of the issues in contention.

The group also alleged the commission plans to heavily militarize some zones during the election, as well as instigate group violence and other coordinated attacks against members of a particular voting population on the grounds of their faith and tribe.

The group called on the INEC to address the areas noticed, saying that Nigerians need to be assured of a free, fair and transparent poll in 2023.

“We call on INEC to respond to all the issues raised and outline how to tackle them headlong, including reversal of the 20 citizens’ disenfranchisement and 10 election rigging plots outlined.”