By Daniel Tyokua
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), on Tuesday staged protest in Abuja over the non assent to Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This followed Buhari’s refusal to sign the Act into law for the fourth time.
The groups explained that, if the President signs the Bill, it will allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release a Notice of Elections exactly 360 days before the 2023 elections in compliance with the provisions of the Bill.
The protesters held placards at the Unity Fountain with different inscriptions: “#sign the electoral bill now!,” President Buhari sign the Electoral Bill now,” ” President Muhammadu Buhari make history sign the electoral bill now!, ” Prevent electoral rigging,” No bill no electronic transmission of of results, #sign the electoral bill,” gathered at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.
They were led by the CSOs’ situation room leader, Amaka Obi, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, and the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, among others.
However, People with disabilities, women and youths were also join in the push for Buhari to sign the electoral bill into law.
The AUTHORITY recall that, in December 2018, Buhari again rejected the Bill because it was too close to the 2019 general election.
However, Buhari rejected the current Bill in December 2021 based on the adoption of direct primaries as the only legally approved procedure for the nomination of candidates.
The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, who spoke on at the protest ground said: “We expect President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promises and sign the Electoral bill so that it will no longer be an analogue election, it will no longer be a money bag election. Politicians will no longer truncate the election. We are urging Buhari to sign the electoral bill now before the time frame expires. It is our hope that Buhari will sign”.
The CSOs that mobilized for the protest were Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room; Yiaga Africa; Partners for Electoral Reform (PER); 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 (PTCIJ); Labour Civil Society Coalition (LASCO); Transition Monitoring Group; CLEEN Foundation and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
Others are: Women Advocates Research and
Documentation Centre (WARDC); Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NNNGO); Inclusive Friends Association (IFA); Enough is Enough; The Electoral Hub; Centre for Liberty; Take Back Nigeria Movement; International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC); 100 Women Lobby Group; Women in Politics Forum; Raising New Voices; Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa and Ready To Lead Africa.
