The decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Bill has continued to attract applause and criticism from some stakeholders.
Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Prince Chibudom Nwuche applauded the President for restoring the confidence of Nigerians in the country’s electoral process.
He opined that many well-meaning Nigerians were beginning to lose faith in the electoral process but for the timely assent to the bill that ensures electronic transmission of results.
“Good governance that delivers the dividends of democracy and leads to rapid socio-economic development begins on a foundation of free, fair and credible elections. Countries that have entrenched free and fair elections will develop more rapidly than those that haven’t,” he said.
A coalition of 25 civil rights organisations on Friday also congratulated Nigerians on the new Electoral law. The coalition described it as a huge milestone in Nigerians’ quest to consolidate democracy.
This is just as the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa (CGGEJA) has condemned the pressure being mounted on the National Assembly to expunge some progressive elements of the Amended Electoral Act.
The group frowned at the demand by the executive arm for the deleting of the section that prevents political appointees from participating in the party candidate nomination process, either as aspirants or delegates.
A statement by the group’s Director of Research and Strategy, Ikponmwonsa Edosanwan in Abuja on Saturday said, “The reality of Nigeria’s politics is that political appointees, by the virtue of their offices and proximity to power, exploit and abuse state agencies to achieve their personal political goals through the hijack, blackmail, and inducement of party organs with various acts of illegal intimidation and quid pro quo to enjoy a clear advantage in the contest.”
