Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Attahiru Jega has advised the National Assembly against overriding President Muhammadu Buhari on the Electoral Act amendment Bill.
He made call at the citizens’ town hall Electoral Bill 2021, organised by
Yiaga Africa and partners, warning that the country will be better off if
it goes into the next election with a new electoral law because it will
enhance the integrity and the preparation of conduct of elections.
Jega also noted that the Bill contained good things that could enhance
the integrity of the electoral process apart from issues of direct primaries
because Nigeria has not had a substantive improvement on the electoral
law since 2010.
In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State said the 36
State Governors are not afraid of direct primaries as being alleged by
some Nigerians, noting that what they opposed was a method that could
limit the choices of the people.
On his part, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Olumide
Akpata stated that everything about the bill spelt progress but the right
steps needed to be taken to get it right by thinking before
implementation. Also, the Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson
Itodo said Nigeria had about 399 days to the 2023 elections and the
timely passage of the bill would be in the interest of deepening
democracy and national development.
