VAI vows to resist change in election sequence, says move self serving

OBINNA EZUGWU

Voters Awareness Initiative (VAI) has vowed to resist the ongoing move by the National Assembly to alter election sequence ahead of 2019 general election, as according to it, the move is self-serving.

The organization’s president, Barr Wale Ogunade who made this known in a statement on Tuesday, warned that the attempt, if allowed, could adversely affect the country’s democracy.

“NASS is constitutionally empowered to make laws for good governance and orderliness in the country, we however, make bold to say that this latest move is self-serving, ludicrous, uncalled for and capable of truncating our democratic experience,” he said.

“The proposed NASS timetable, for all intents and purposes, stands logic on its head. The essence, we dare say, is to promote NASS members’ ultimate selfish end, which is to secure their return to Assembly at all cost.”

Ogunade maintained that any attempt to change election sequence would amount to the lawmakers imposing their will on the people.

“For us at VAI, election should be to a politician what examination is to a student. It is the duty of the examiner to set timetable and other paraphernalia of the examination; the only duty of the student is to prepare adequately for the examination.

“This attempt by members of the National Assembly to alter election timetable is therefore tantamount to foisting themselves on Nigerians. They are aware that securing return tickets may not be possible with the present set up owing largely to the fact that the general consensus was such that they have performed below average in the area of adequate representation to their constituents.

“We therefore wish to use this medium to intimate Nigerians of this heinous plot; and that we should be prepared for Mass mobilisation to be spearheaded by Voters Awareness Initiative (VAI) against this bill,” he concluded.