By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
As the debate over President Muhammadu Buhari’s reasons for not giving his Assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill continues to expand, two members of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) are insisting that using Direct Primary Clause in the Bill as an excuse to withhold Assent is a smokescreen to deceive the public.
This is even as they argued that the Clause that recommended Electronic Transmission of Election Results is the reason the Bill was not signed into law, adding that the Legislature and Executive arms of government are not interested in the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill before the 2023 General Elections.
Speaking on African Independent Television (AIT) breakfast programme Kakaaki on Thursday, Ms. Nma Odi, General Secretary, Alliance for Credible Elections alleged that the quarrel over Direct Primary is a mere smokescreen to hoodwink Nigerians by the Legislature and Executive arms of government.
According to her: “the National Assembly abinitio, did not want the electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria; they did not want to pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill hence they voted against it. So when they made a U-turn I knew they are up for some mischief”.
“It is also clear that this 9th Assembly (Legislature) and Executive are working hands in gloves, they are not interested in the electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria hence they are using the Direct Primary (Clause 8) in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as an excuse to kill the Bill”.
“Now it’s clear to the blind and loud to the deaf that by smuggling in the controversial Direct Primary (Clause 8) in the Bill was a ploy to hoodwink the public to believe that they are now on the side of the people. I knew that the Bill will not be signed into law”.
Nma insists that to have free, fair and credible elections in 2023, the Legislature and Executive arms of must listen to the demands of the majority of Nigerians to give them a new Electoral Bill which will make the people to have faith in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
The veteran rights activist has therefore called on Nigerians to mount pressure on their NASS members to skip Christmas and go back to work on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, adding that NASS members cannot be celebrating Christmas when Nigerians are bleeding.
Said she: ” I want to appeal to Mr. President to please call his “Boys” in the National Assembly to go back and re-work the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and bring it back to him to give Assent. This is one piece of legislation that Nigerians are asking Mr. President to please Assent like he has done to Petroleum Industry Bill and others. This is what Nigerians want”.
Meanwhile, for Harry Udoh, Chairman, Civil Society group in Akwa Ibom state, refusing to sign the Bill into law amounts to throwing the baby out with the bathwater because there are many other Clauses in the Bill that aimed towards making the country’s electoral processes credible.
While accepting that it is within the right of the President to either Assent or withhold Assent, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill contains important Clauses that will make the 2023 General Elections credible.
However, the CSO top official urged President Buhari to revisit the list of his recent nominees for the position of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
According to Udoh: “It is painful that persons who have distinguished themselves in the discharge of their duties in INEC are not considered for second term in office. It’s unfortunate if the body language of this government is to ensure that Nigeria is once again ready for “State Capture” as credible National Commissioners are not reappointed by President Buhari.
“My hunch says if people like Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu who has performed creditably in his assignments as INEC National Commissioner including the highly praised November 6 Anambra governorship election is not reappointed to continue the good job then we may see another “State Capture” by the government in power”.
