ATLANTA- ANIOMA people in the
Diaspora under the aegis of Anioma Association, have called on the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, to embark on electoral reforms that would
accommodate the rights of all Nigerians of voting age living abroad to
participate in the country’s democratic process by exercising their franchise
in future elections.
Vice president of the group, in
Atlanta Georgia, USA, Mr. Amechi Okobah, in a statement, Thursday, said that it
would be unfair for millions of Nigerians abroad to be disenfranchised.
He added that far reaching reforms
in the electoral process had become inevitable in the light of compelling need
to galvanise all Nigerians all over the world to partake in future elections
with a view to putting Nigeria on the path of sustainable development and
growth.
He urged political parties to be
more transparent and open in the conduct of their internal affairs, saying that
the imposition of candidates should be stopped.
Okobah appealed to INEC to be
decisive and firm in the enforcement of the Electoral Act, particularly in the
area of compelling the parties to comply with laid down rules and procedures in
the conduct of the elections.
On the de-registration of some
political parties, he charged INEC to do the right thing to improve on
democratic practices in the country and open up the electoral space in line
with the best democratic practice.
