By Igho Akeregha, Abuja Bureau Chief
A Coalition of Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform has cautioned the 9th National Assembly against the postponement of resumption date scheduled for January 18, warning it could jeopardise the passage of the amended electoral act bill.
The CSOs said the National Assembly has an urgent task to override President Muhammadu Buhari or amend, pass, and re-transmit the Electoral Bill to the executive for assent.
The groups also called on the lawmakers to suspend the House rules and bureaucracy of legislative business and deal with the electoral bill within 48 hours of their resumption.
The Coalition disclosed this in Abuja yesterday at a press conference to advocate for electoral reforms in the country.
The conference which was jointly addressed by the Executive Director
Adopt A Goal Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Convener, Raising New Voices Initiative, Jude Feranmi, and Human Rights Advocate, Rachel Anyanwu called on the leadership of National Assembly to rectify all errors which may cause issues in the interpretation and execution of the law by government agencies.
They added that such errors were responsible for the refusal of the President not to assent to the bill in the 8th National Assembly.
The group urged the lawmakers to do everything within their power to address the issues raised by the President if they could not get the required number to override the President’s veto
According to the statement issued at the conference “ On the 20th day of December last year, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote to the National Assembly citing varying reasons he had refused to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill sent to him by both chambers. Mr President was quoted to have said that the “the conduct of elections for the nomination of party candidates solely via direct primaries as envisaged by the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 has serious adverse legal, financial, economic and security consequences which cannot be accommodated at the moment considering our Nation’s peculiarities”. President Buhari also said that the introduction “has implications on the rights of citizens to participate in the government as constitutionally ensured”.
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“ This conclusion reached by the President drew various criticisms from the Nigerian populace and outright disappointment from the civil society organisations working to ensure the conduct of freer, fairer and more credible elections in the forthcoming exercises happening in Ekiti, Osun and the 2023 general elections.
“ To say the least, Mr President’s refusal to assent to this bill has set back the advocacy for these democratic reforms. However, as civil society organizations, we cannot rest on our oars and must ensure that the desire of Nigerians for a more credible electoral process where the people can elect leaders of their choice and their votes will count must become a reality.
“ It is for this reason that we are here today to call the attention of the National Assembly to make the following demands.
The statement added that for democracy to bring development to the people and an improved standard of living elections must be fair and seen to be fair.
