By Chimezie Godfrey
The Electoral Hub, an organ of the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Bill 2021 that was recently transmitted to him by the National Assembly.
Director, the Electoral Hub, Princess Hamman-Obels who made the call in a statement on Monday. noted that as the 2023 general elections draw near, and the atmosphere across the nation is already warming up, a lot of Nigerians have applauded the bold move made by members of the National Assembly as they finally passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 and out rightly transmitted it to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
She pointed out that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 contains provisions that are focused on enhancing the credibility and quality of elections, as well as addressing certain loopholes in the existing electoral legal framework.
She explained that the provisions in the Bill as stated include legal backing for the use of modern electoral technologies for the main purpose of voters’ accreditation, electronic transmission of election results, extension of restrictive timelines for electoral activities, concise definition of over-voting and the conferment of legal authority on INEC to review questionable election results, and direct primaries for all political parties.
She said,”The Electoral Hub, an organ of the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD), is calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to encourage an environment that openly promotes electoral credibility, inclusiveness, and a peaceful process by immediately assenting to the Electoral Act Bill 2021.
“In addition, it is important to note that a timely assent to the Bill will positively facilitate an effective and efficient election administration.
“Timely assent will give INEC sufficient time to internalise and test-run the new provisions in the Bill in state-wide elections prior to the 2023 general elections.
“Timely assent of the Bill will also ensure that political parties and other electoral stakeholders plan, operationalise and implement efficiently electoral service delivery.”
Hamman-Obels noted that one of the reasons the President declined assent to the Bill in 2018 was that it was too close to the 2019 general elections.
She therefore stressed that with the 2023 general elections less than 445 days away, it is crucial not to delay assent to the Bill any longer.
“It is therefore imperative for President Buhari to assent to the Bill as a matter of urgency,” she said.
