KADUNA, October 4, 2023 – Comrade Bako Abdul Usman, the National President of the Partnership for Issues-Based Campaign in Nigeria (PICaN), delivered a comprehensive press statement today at the Kadman Office in Kaduna. The address touched on critical issues concerning recent tribunal judgments and called for electoral reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
In his speech, Comrade Bako expressed deep concern about the current state of democracy in Nigeria, emphasizing that it is under serious threat. He highlighted the trend of recent tribunal judgments across the nation, which he believes have exposed vulnerabilities in the electoral and judicial systems. He urged for a complete overhaul of these systems to protect the popular will of the people from being undermined by technicalities.
One of the central recommendations put forward was the full adoption of the Justice Muhammad Uwais Electoral Reform Committee report, which focuses on strengthening legal frameworks and enhancing the independence of the electoral body, INEC. Comrade Bako also stressed the urgent need for amending the Electoral Act to mandate INEC to transmit election results electronically, which would enhance transparency and credibility.
The address addressed a specific case, the Kano State governorship election, where the tribunal’s judgment had a significant impact. It resulted in the removal of Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as the governor and affirmed Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of the state. The deduction of votes due to unstamped and unsigned ballot papers was a critical issue raised.
Comrade Bako underlined the importance of the judiciary as the last hope of every common citizen and called on security agencies to investigate wrongful arrests made during protests in Kano State. He further urged a thorough investigation into the issues raised during the judgment, emphasizing the need to restore people’s confidence in democracy.
Additionally, Comrade Bako encouraged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to engage in civic education to discourage hate speech and called on religious leaders to use their platforms for sensitizing citizens on the consequences of hate speech.
The press statement concluded with a plea for post-election petitions to be determined before candidates are sworn into office and a call for all aggrieved parties to uphold the peace accord, ensuring that supporters refrain from taking the law into their hands.
The press conference featured the voices of various organizations and individuals, collectively highlighting the need for reforms and a commitment to preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy
