The civil society community has declared February 22, 2022 as a National Day of Protest to demand immediate assent to the reworked Electoral Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari. Civil society networks said they would organise a peaceful public direct-action activities to further the demand to assent the bill. The coalition urged its partners to converge at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.
The coalition include: Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), International Press Centre, Institute for Media and Society, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, Centre for Citizens with Disability, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), Labour Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), Transition Monitoring Group, CLEEN Foundation and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
Others are: Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGO), Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Enough is Enough, The Electoral Hub, Centre for Liberty, Take Back Nigeria Movement, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), 100 Women Lobby Group, Women in Politics Forum, Raising New Voices, Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa and Ready To Lead Africa.
It would be recalled that on the 31st of January 2022, the National Assembly transmitted the Electoral Bill 2022 to the President for assent after reworking the bill. In a statement issued on Saturday by Media Officer for Yiaga Africa, Moshood Isah after its meeting, the coalition urged “citizens across the nation to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.”
According to the coalition, the bill allows electronic transmission of results, strengthens INEC’s financial independence and empower the commission to reject falsified election results. “Further aware, the bill, when signed, requires INEC to issue Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election. Therefore, the President has to give assent to the bill on or before 22nd February 2022 if the dates announced for the 2023 elections are to be maintained.”