A formidable alliance of Civil Society Organizations CSOs on electoral reforms have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari asking the number one citizen of Nigeria to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 re-worked on and passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly.
The group comprising of Adopt A Goal, Centre for Liberty, Raising New Voices, the Nigerian Alliance, Access Nigeria, NESSACTION, Speak Out Africa, Ready To Lead Africa, Youths and Students Advocates for Development Initiative and The Art and Civics Victory Advocate of Nigeria in a very strong petition to President Buhari said that the people say: “Sign The Electoral Bill 202”.
The petitioners are representatives of notable CSOs namely the Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform (CiSPER), Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for the Expansion of Electoral and Democratic Space (ACESS Nigeria) and some other concerned Nigerians pushing for electoral reforms and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2021.
It reads.”write on behalf of millions of Nigerians who are urging you to rise above the partisan, unpopular and narrow political interests of a few politicians, to immediately assent the Electoral Bill into law.
“As you celebrate your birthday in a couple of days on 17 December 2021, history beckons on you to present the signed Electoral Bill 2021 as a perfect gift to Nigerians. This is indeed a glorious opportunity for you, Mr. President, to etch your name in Nigeria’s democratic plate as an advocate of electoral reforms.
“As you may recall, in June 2021, you promised Nigerians and made a commitment to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that, “we will make available to them [INEC] everything [including signing the Electoral Act 2021] they need to operate efficiently, so that no one will say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term.” You equally summed this up vowing that: “There will be no excuse for failure. We will meet all of INEC’s demands.”
The group said that the opportunity has come for the President to show fidelity to his words and reject all manner of excuses being made by a few persons who want to continue with the business-as-usual politics.
It further stated that it is gratifying that INEC has said publicly that: “It is the constitutional and legal responsibility of the commission to give effect to laws passed by the National Assembly
They drew the attention of the number one citizen of Nigeria to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, Item F, Paragraph 15(c), which states “the Commission [INEC] shall have power to monitor the organisation and operation of the political parties, including their finances, conventions, congresses and party primaries”.
They argued that by the provision of the Constitution, it is clear that direct primaries will not impose any additional burden on INEC beyond what it ought to have been doing at every stage of the more demanding, complex and opaque indirect mode. The problem the group noted is not really about the system of primaries but the character of the political players.
In addition to the petition on Bill, the coalition urge President Buhari to advise the political parties to embark on internal reforms, adopt digitization of membership, operate a standard register and make a success of the direct primaries with acceptable guidelines.
According to the petitioners, after testing the exclusive use of direct primaries in the coming governorship primaries in Ekiti and Osun states, the process could be re-evaluated to assess the impacts and challenges. We must continue to learn and get better, but never afraid of taking bold steps.
The CSOs therefore asked the President to demonstrate leadership, show courage and sign the Electoral Bill bearing in mind that it was passed as the Electoral Bill 2021, requiring that the process is concluded so soon as it provides an opportunity to reinvigorate the electoral legal framework for early preparation ahead of 2023 General Elections.
The petition dated December 2,2021 was signed by Ariyo-Dare Atoye Executive Director, Adopt A Goal for Development, Maryam Ahmed, Programme Officer, Center For Liberty, Jude Feranmi, Convener, Raising New Voices, Simi Olusola, Executive Director, The Nigerian Alliance for the coalition.
