The member representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Victor Umeh, has stressed the importance of timely transmission of electoral results to guarantee election credibility and deepen Nigeria’s democracy.
Umeh was speaking when he hosted Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) members, 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 establishing an electoral offenses 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 power acquisition 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 offenses commission, resolving election disputes before the inauguration and removing INEC leadership appointments from the president’s office.
He further emphasized the need for continuous Voter Registration, CVR, 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” were based on surveys conducted by the group and reflected the thoughts of youths across the country.
