Kogiflame
A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) pushing for electoral reforms and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2021 has told President Muhammadu Buhari to rise above the partisan, unpopular and narrow political interests of a few politicians, to immediately assent to the Electoral Bill into law.
The group also asked the President to muster courage and etch his name in Nigeria’s democratic plate as an advocate of electoral reforms irrespective of pressures and blackmail by the Governors.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the group, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, during a rally held at unity foundation in Abuja on Thursday urged the President 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.
In a letter addressed to the President, the group said the opportunity has again presented itself again for the President to show fidelity to his words and reject all manner of excuses being made by few persons who want to continue with the business-as-usual politics.
The letter read in part “We the undersigned representatives of Coalition of Civil Society Organizations organized in the Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform (CiSPER), Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for the Expansion of Electoral and Democratic Space (ACESS Nigeria) and other concerned Nigerians pushing for electoral reforms and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2021, 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 on 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 noted that there is need to re-evaluated and assess the impacts and challenges of direct primaries after it has been tested.
“Mr President, in addition to giving your assent to the Bill, we urge you 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.
“Once again, we urge you 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 soonest, and it provides an opportunity to reinvigorate the electoral legal framework for early preparation ahead of 2023,” the letter read.
independent.ng
