Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and a university don have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Bill before him into law to strengthen the country’s democracy.
The National Assembly had last week transmitted the Electoral Bill to the president for assent.
Some governors and federal lawmakers have disagreed on the revised Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly which approved direct primary as the sole method to produce candidates for all elective positions.
The Director, Centre for Democracy Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, said the president should sign the bill because it was coming some months before the 2023 general elections.
“ The president should sign the bill; it is timely for him to do so. This would also give ample opportunities for Nigerians to be conversant with the sections amended and the entire Electoral Act. There is nothing he can give Nigerians outside giving them the Electoral Act that will help in conducting free and fair elections and deepening the nation’s democracy,” she said.
Also, the Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said the president should assent to the amendment without hesitation.
In his reaction, Prof Dung Pam Sha, Director of Research, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), said he was of the opinion that the Electoral Bill be signed by the president.
Prof Sha said, “I think the spirit in which the National Assembly looked at the document is progressive, and I think the president should also in the same spirit ensure that it is passed to make our democracy good. The representatives of the entire country have looked at the bill and feel that it should be signed by the president.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, said the expectation of members of the National Assembly was that President Buhari would sign the Electoral Bill 2021 into law.
He said this while fielding questions from State House reporters after a meeting behind closed doors with the president.
Lawan further said nobody could dictate to the president on the decision to take on the Electoral Bill without recourse to his advisers and following due process.
He, however, expressed optimism that the bill would get presidential assent.
Asked about how long it would take for the president to sign the Electoral Bill, he said: “I don’t know why this appears to be the only issue. You see, there is no need for you to lobby for any bill to be signed.
“And I think we should allow him to just follow the processes he is used to, but the expectation of members of National Assembly is that the bill is signed.”
DAILY TRUST
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