Awka -The South East leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has described the absence of some Senators from the southeast zone as conspiratorial, annoying and disappointing.
At the crucial Senate sitting held on Thursday, some senators of Igbo extraction, suspiciously absented themselves.
At the plenary, Senate deliberated over an amendment to clause 52(3) of the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill, presented to it for consideration; which in part dealt with stripping INEC of unilateral powers to electronically transmit election results.
According to Comrade Kelvin Chibuikem Ugory, Director, Policy, Programs and Youth development, Office of the Vice President, NYCN, southeast zone, who spoke to TNC correspondent on Sunday, the absence of the Igbo Senators is most worrisome, considering the fact that the Senators are carrying the people’s mandate.
“Certain critical institutions of State are entrusted with the Responsibility of promoting and consolidating our Democracy.
“Two of such institutions are the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“The matter discussed is in total variance to the wishes of the electorates, the masses, Nigerian Youths and the civil society.
“We thus, least expected our elected Legislators to be absent at such a crucial point in history.
“Truth be told, decisions we make and the choices we surreptitiously refrain from making can make or mar our future electoral processes and constitutional democracy,” he said.
Ugory noted that young Nigerians especially in the South East, are in paralysing shock that some of the Senators from the South east were conspicuously absent during the momentous vote in the Senate on the Electoral Act Amendment bill.
“Their absence was disappointing, conspiratorial and most annoying to say the least.
“These people hold power in trust for the electorates. We didnt vote you in to be absent or undecided during plenaries.
“We thus put you on notice that the Young Eastern electorates are sadly disappointed at your absenteeism during such a historic sitting.
“You all must account for this egregious dereliction of duty, if not now, then in the near future.
“It is pertinent to note that your posturings, smack of leadership disconnect, non-chalance and legislative levity,” he noted.
According to the Southeast NYCN, the disposition of the lawmakers is totally unacceptable by the electorates who gave them their mandates in trust.
“And as for the Senate, we hold that the ruling of the Senate, that forecloses the possibility of having results transmitted electronically when it voted that the Nigerian Communications Commission, with National Assembly approval, would determine whether the Independent National Electoral Commission could transmit results electronically or not in our opinion, is tantamount to a brazen coup against the electorates and a major setback for our constitutional democracy,” it said.
The Southeast NYCN commended INEC for her steadfastness with the Electorates and pledged support to the agency’s spirited efforts at strengthening the credibility and transparency of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“History and Posterity would judge us all by our actions and inactions.
“One thing is sure; we would not be deterred.
“The electorates must surely prevail and our democracy would be finally salvaged,” it maintained.
