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April 26, 2007
EXPRESS SERIOUS CONCERN OVER NIGERIA’S 2007 GENERAL ELECTIONS AND CALL FOR CALM
Following the Nigerian Presidential election on Saturday, April 21, 2007, the Leadership of three Nigerian apex socio-cultural organizations in the Diaspora - Zumunta Association USA, Egbe Omo Yoruba, North America and World Igbo Congress, Inc. met on Monday, April 23, 2007 and expressed serious concern that allegations of massive electoral irregularities and mayhem during and after the election could endanger the Country’s democracy. The groups consider such electoral irregularities such as hoarding, stuffing, hijacking of electoral ballots and deliberate misinformation of voting schedule to mislead and confuse voters as unconscionable. Also, extreme disappointment with the planning and execution of the flawed planned electoral arrangements with regards to the delivery and security of voting materials was articulated.
The groups, which represent Nigerians from the Country’s Western, Eastern and Northern geopolitical zones in Diaspora reached the following resolutions during the meeting:
COMMENDATION FOR THE NIGERIAN JUDICARY: We applaud the Nigerian Judiciary for the great stride it has made in recent times to guard our country’s democracy. We particularly praise the National Judicial Council (NJC) for disciplining errant Justices and Judges who have mischievously saddled Nigerian citizens with Judicial opinions that lack rhythm or reason other than the obvious fact that the Judge must have been compromised.
GUARANTEE OF DUE PROCESS RIGHTS TO THE DISENFRANCHISED: In recognition that the right
to vote and to be voted for is the Constitutional rights of citizens, we are calling on the Nigerian Government, the Independent Election Tribunal and the Nigerian Judiciary to ensure that this important right of Nigerian citizens to exercise their electoral franchise is not trampled upon. A timely and expeditious arrangement must be made to adequately address the petitions of the victims of electoral irregularities in this election. GUARANTEE OF CITIZENS’ RIGHT TO EXPRESSIONAL FREEDOM: GUARANTEE OF CITIZENS’ RIGHT TO EXPRESSIONAL FREEDOM: Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of all Nigerian citizens under our constitution. We call on the Federal Government to protect and ensure that those rights are not trumpeted upon. We are deeply concern with the treatment on citizens whenever they express their concerns or views on issues that affect their rights or that of the general public.
APPEAL FOR CALM AND RESORT TO JUDICIAL INTERVENTION: We appeal to those aggrieved by
the handling of this recent election to continue to exercise restraint and to resort to the Election Tribunals and Courts for redress. With the robust stature of our contemporary Nigerian Judiciary, the quest for Justice in Nigeria is no longer an illusion. While we cannot take pride in the anomaly that has plagued this 2007 elections, the attainments we are presently seeing in the Nigerian Judicial branch of government is an assurance that our journey of a thousand miles have started. Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
SIGNED THIS 24th DAY OF APRIL, 2007:
Dr. Mohammed Ladan, President, Zumunta, USA, Inc.
Ezekiel Macham, Ph.D., Gen. Sec. Zumunta, USA, Inc. Ichie Chibuzo E. Onwuchekwe, President, World Igbo Congress, Inc. Charles C. Chikezie, Esq., Sec. Gen., World Igbo Congress, Inc. Related Articles
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