The Successful Conduct of 2015 Presidential & NASS Elections As Victory for Democracy

COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLES MANDATE (CPPM)
10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Ilupeju, Lagos
Telephone: 08023172694, 07033853232
Email: cppmandate@gmail.com

01/04/2015

PRESS STATEMENT

THE SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT AND DECLARATION OF WINNERS OF 2015 PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS AS A VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) wholeheartedly congratulates the good people of Nigeria for their courage, unity of purpose, perseverance, tolerance, dedication, determination, resoluteness, orderliness and commitment to democracy which culminated in the successful conduct of the first phase of the 2015 general elections held on March 28th and 29th as well as the final declaration of the Presidential results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) today April 1st, 2015.

We once again congratulate Nigerians for their sacrifices and endurance which was a key factor that ensured that the elections held peacefully and orderly in most parts of the country despite the evil plots by enemies of democracy, peace, progress and national unity to truncate the process through incitements, postponement of the general elections, plotting the installation of interim government, military putsch as well as the attempt to abort the declaration of results at the national collation centre in Abuja, yesterday.

We condemn in totality the desperate and despicable show of shame and national embarrassment exhibited by a chieftain of a political party which extended its anti democratic plots against the people of Nigeria to the national collation centre having failed severally in their evil bid to ensure that elections did not hold.

We commend the political parties and candidates which took part in the elections and enjoin them to see their participation as their own contribution to strengthening democracy and unity of Nigeria. We must commend the media for an excellent coverage which contributed in no small measure to the success of the elections and are not surprised because the media have always been alive to their constitutional and social responsibility of nation building despite all odds.

We also commend the local and international observers for their exemplary conduct in monitoring the elections in order to ensure that it conforms to best global practices of democracy. We as well commend the security agencies for their civil and orderly conduct in providing security for the elections which was good, but notes with concern incidences of violations of the law and hereby admonish them to immediately commence investigations of incidents of breakdown of law and order, violations of the electoral Act as well as the misconduct of some of its personnel in order to ensure prosecution in line with the laws to serve as a deterrent to others.

We equally commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its untiring, resolute and patriotic efforts in ensuring free, fair, transparent and credible elections through innovative mechanisms like the PVC and E-card reader. However, we note with concern the logistics delay in the timely deployment of personnel to polling units on Election Day which has become a recurring decimal as well as the poor education and handling of the E-card reader which resulted in unnecessary delays in the commencement of accreditation in polling units across the country.

We are equally concerned with the conduct of some its personnel who are alledged to have compromised the process through abscondment, manipulations, abandonment of the E-card reader even when it was functioning on election day in order to perpetuate fraud in states like Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, etc. We hereby call for a thorough investigation of all these anomalies and submission of a request to the police for investigation and prosecution for violations of the Electoral Act against these persons involved in alledged undermining of our democracy and national security. We demand a remedy of these shortcomings before the next round of elections on April 11th, 2015.

We want to commend President Goodluck Jonathan for rising up to the occasion as a statesman by congratulating the winner of the 2015 Presidential elections, General Muhammadu Buhari even before final declarations of results by INEC and salute his courage, gallantry in defeat and hope our political class will take a cue.

We must also commend the winner of the 2015 Presidential elections and President Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for his steadfastness, discipline, indomitable spirit, doggedness and commitment to democracy and urge him to be magnanimous in victory in rallying the country together collectively and rededicate himself to the herculean but surmountable task of nation building.

As we savour in this victory of democracy, we hereby enjoin all Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, orderly, resolute and vigilant because the enemies of democracy are still on the prowl and must be defeated for the sake of national peace, unity and progress.