By ‘Dare Odufowokan, Sanni Onogu, Frank Ikpefan, Gbenga Omokhunu and Tony Akowe
President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to append his signature to the amended Electoral Bill represented to him by the National Assembly, has continued to attracted comments, as some stakeholders applauded the President for restoring confidence of Nigerians in the country’s electoral process. Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Prince Chibudom Nwuche, who commended Buhari for signing the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill into law.
By this singular act, according to Nwuche, Buhari has returned the confidence of the generality of Nigerians back into the electoral process. He opined that many well-meaning Nigerians were beginning to lose faith in the electoral process but for the timely assent to the bill that ensures electronic transmission of results. “Good governance that delivers the dividends of democracy and leads to rapid socio-economic development begins on a foundation of free, fair and credible elections. Countries that have entrenched free and fair elections will develop more rapidly than those that haven’t,” he said.
Former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, similarly commended President Buhari for granting assent to the electoral law, describing it as a process of rewriting history. Abe, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Parry Saroh Benson, said: “Our democracy is evolving and the citizens are looking for a cleaner process that will enable their voice to be heard. I think that is what is driving the process. I also want to thank all members of the National Assembly who worked tirelessly to make this legacy legislation a reality.”
Former Governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Rivers state, Prince Tonye Princewill has said the signing into law of the Electoral Act amendment bill has vindicated the position of the ruling party that President Buhari meant well for Nigerian democracy. He said “Two observations come to mind. One, the election date will have to be shifted to meet the clause that has imposed on INEC a 360 day timeline to announce the date of elections to the office of President. The other implication is public office holders will have to resign before they contest a primary. That is in contravention with the constitution, as the President has pointed out, so either the lawmakers will amend it or candidates will go to court to challenge it if they are denied the privilege of contesting an election on the grounds that they have not resigned.”
“That leaves it in the hands of the Supreme Court and my money is on the side of public office holders to win, if the National Assembly refuses to heed the advice of their President. But make no mistake; this is a historic day in the affairs of our politics. Our Political parties would now be best advised to only choose candidates who are popular with their people. Otherwise Nigerians will do it for them.”
In a related development, a coalition of 25 civil rights organisations on Friday congratulated Nigerians on the new Electoral law. The coalition described it as a huge milestone in Nigerians’ quest to consolidate democracy.
Members of the coalition had consistently pushed for the signing of the Electoral Amendment Bill 2022. The CSOs in a joint statement released by the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said: “We, as civil society, commend the President for fulfilling his promise of assenting to the Electoral bill. We also commend the National Assembly for their responsiveness in ensuring the bill substantially reflects the will of the Nigerian people and for transmitting the same to the President upon citizens’ demands.”
Similarly, the Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP) Leadership Development Advocacy group commended the President for doing the needful in signing the re-amended Electoral Bill. The group urged youths to join politics to fill the leadership deficit gaps in the country, saying “it’s time for young people to venture into politics. “With the signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law and the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the period of the struggle for a new electoral law that can legalise digital voting accreditation and election results transmission process, we believe that the time for Nigerian youths to join politics has come.”
This is just as the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa (CGGEJA) has condemned the pressure being mounted on the National Assembly to expunge some progressive elements of the Amended Electoral Act. The group frowned specifically at the demand by the executive arm for the deleting of the section that prevents political appointees from participating in the party candidate nomination process, either as aspirants or delegates.
The group claimed that the section is an important addition to the Amended Electoral Act that is capable of halting the undemocratic practice of political appointees who abuse the privileges of their positions to manipulate the election process of political parties and secure an unfair advantage using the paraphernalia of state. A statement by the group’s Director of Research and Strategy, Ikponmwonsa Edosanwan in Abuja on Saturday said, “The reality of Nigeria’s politics is that political appointees, by the virtue of their offices and proximity to power, exploit and abuse state agencies to achieve their personal political goals through the hijack, blackmail, and inducement of party organs with various acts of illegal intimidation and quid pro quo to enjoy a clear advantage in the contest.”
CGGEJA argued that the President’s objection was informed by persistent lobbying on the part of affected appointees who they claim are following the President’s complaints with renewed efforts to force through the deletion of the section by the National Assembly. The group then urged the National Assembly not to bow to pressure from the political appointees, saying that the section not only improves the voting process but would have a palpable impact on governance.