The Centre for Democracy and Development, on Monday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Bill 2021 into law, assuring that it would improve elections processes in Nigeria.
The CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, in a statement in Abuja, said that the step was necessary as it would be the most significant legacy of Buhari’s administration.
“With the successful integration of technology into the electoral process, a legal backing for electronic voting and transmission of election results will further (demonstrate) President Buhari’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s election.
“This will surely be President Buhari’s legacy for Nigerian people. CDD believes that the next critical step that must be taken is assenting into law the Electoral Bill 2021.
“This is particularly as we head to two elections in Ekiti and Osun states in 2022, and the 2023 general election,” the statement read.
It noted that the Senate had, on October 13, re-amended certain aspects of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill contained in Clauses 43, 52, 63, and 87, respectively.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the re-amendment to the clauses followed a motion for re-committal moved by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.
In all, 21 clauses were harmonised, including the contentious clause 52 which makes provision for electronic transmission of election result.
“Interestingly, the legislative document represents another beautiful outcome from the collaborative efforts of the Senate and House of Representatives,” it stressed.
The new Electoral Bill, the statement added, contained provisions that sought to improve the electoral system, including the process of voting, collation, announcement of results, and the lack of public confidence in the process.
In addition, it stated that the direct primary method for candidate selection proposed in the Bill would improve internal party democracy by strengthening party membership.
The Bill, when signed into law, would return the electoral power to the people as the original custodians, in accordance with the dictate of democracy, it indicated.
(NAN).
