A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called for the immediate passage of the Electoral Act Amendment bill by the National Assembly .
The Programmes Director of Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, in Abuja expressed concern that the seeming lack of progress at the National Assembly on the Electoral Act Amendment bill was worrisome.
According to her, Nigerians demand that their elected representatives responded to the urgent need for an electoral legal framework that would genuinely strengthened the electoral processes and procedures, promoting inclusivity and addressing impunity.
She explained that the Electoral Legal Framework is founded on the broad-based consensus by Nigerian citizens’ and electoral stakeholders on the need for a more credible and improved electoral process.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the Albino Foundation, Jack Epelle said that the priority issues included strengthening the financial and operational independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said that they also included publication of polling unit level results by INEC to promote transparency in the result collation and transmission process and protecting the voting rights of the blind and visually impaired voters.
Epelle said that other priority issues includes legitimizing the use of technology in the electoral process with particular emphasis on the biometric voter register, biometric accreditation of voters; electronic voting, electronic collation and transmission of results.
Also, the Executive Director, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) Ezenwa Nwagwu said that the demands of the group were germane aspirations of Nigerians.
He said NASS must recognise that passing the Electoral Bill in good time will engender expeditious action by the executive, ‘’ he said.
Nwagwu said that the speedy passage of the Bill would give INEC the legal clarity to adequately plan and efficiently conduct future elections, particularly the Nov. 6 Anambra governorship election.
“Consequently, we join our voices with millions of Nigerians to call on the National Assembly to speed up the process for the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
“In the same vein, we call on the President to speedily assent to the bill and deliver a brand-new Electoral Act 2021 to Nigerians ahead of the 2021 democracy day celebration on June 12,’’ he said.
