as INEC assures no postponement of election
By Ezeocha Nzeh
As fears continue to grow of another possible withholding of presidential assent to the reworked Electoral bill by president Myuhammadu Buhari, over 30 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have concluded plans to stage a massive protest against the delay in signing the bill in Abuja
President Buhari had earlier denied assent to the first bill, citing his disagreement with the National Assembly over the insertion of direct option as the method of electing political party candidates for future elections. The option however attracted mixed reactions from stakeholders, leading to the return of the bill to the National Assembly for a rework
There are however fears that the issue of direct primary may not have been the major reason why the president withhold his assenting to the bill as the bill has however been reworked by NASS, where the direct primary clause has been expunged, but the president has ye assented o it with few days remaining to the thirty days grace
It was gathered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) required 360 days to issue a notice for the conduct of the 2023 general elections, which commenced on the 18th of February, 2022 (Last week Friday), as required in the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended
Following delay by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in signing the reworked Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which was transmitted to the presidency on January 31, no fewer than 30 civil society organisations have resolved to embark on a protest on Tuesday if the President fails to assent to the bill in two days.
The coalition of CSO explained that it given a circular to its partners to converge on the Unity Fountain, Abuja, the starting point of the protest.
The coalition include Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Partners for Electoral Reform, International Press Centre, Institute for Media and Society, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, Centre for Citizens with Disability, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Labour Civil Society Coalition, Transition Monitoring Group, CLEEN Foundation and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre.
Others include Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations, Inclusive Friends Association, Enough is Enough, The Electoral Hub, Centre for Liberty, Take Back Nigeria Movement, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre, 100 Women Lobby Group, Women in Politics Forum, Raising New Voices, Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa and Ready To Lead Africa.
The CSOs in a statement issued at the weekend by the Media Officer of Yiaga Africa, Moshood Isah, after an emergency meeting, urged citizens across the nation to “call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.”
The CSOs noted that the bill allowed electronic transmission of results, strengthened the financial independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission and empowered the commission to reject falsified election results.
The statement read in part, “Further aware, the bill, when signed, requires INEC to issue Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election. Therefore, the President has to give assent to the bill on or before February 22, 2022 if the dates announced for the 2023 elections are to be maintained.
“We are concerned that the delay in granting presidential assent to the Electoral Bill, 2022 will create legal uncertainties that threaten the integrity of the off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun, and the 2023 general election, which is 366 days away.
“The civil society community resolves to declare Tuesday February 22, 2022 as the national day of protest to demand immediate assent to the bill. Civil society networks will organise peaceful public direct-action activities to further the demand to assent the bill. We urge citizens across the nation to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.”
The CSOs regretted that the President has not shown any sign of signing the reworked bill, 20 days after it was transmitted to him by the National Assembly.
This is even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allayed fears the refusal of present Biuhari to assent to the bill could cause a postponement of the 2023 general elections
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier raised the alarm last month that the non signing of the bill would delay the commission’s release of timetable and schedule for the election, adding that the signing of the bill would work in no small way to guaranty the conduct of a hitch free poll in 2023
However, the commission has given a hint that it will go ahead with its preparations rather than allow Buhari’s failure to sign the bill to delay its activities.
The National Commissioner for Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, disclosed in a TV interview at the weekend that the commission could conduct the 2023 general elections with the current Electoral Act 2010.
Okoye added that Buhari not signing the Electoral Act amendment bill did not affect the FCT council election that took place on Saturday as the poll went smoothly.
He explained that INEC is an agency of the government that works with existing laws and it would continue to do so.
“As an electoral management body, our responsibility is to utilise the existing law and conduct our elections very well,” Okoye said
