Civil Rights Advocacy Group, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to speedily assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2021 transmitted to him by the National Assembly on November 19, 2021.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director, Clement Nwankwo, he stated that the bill was a product of nearly three years of work, which went through the entire breath of legislative process including call for submission of memoranda, technical review, retreats and deliberations.
It also had input from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, civil society organisations and participation by legal draft staff of the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Nwankwo noted that even though a few interests groups have raised concerns regarding the mode of selection of candidates for elections, PLAC says these interest groups had the opportunity to make their input during the legislative process, especially at the call for memoranda and the public hearing.
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He also noted that assenting to the Electoral Bill will be the single most important legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as he had expressed his interest in bequeathing a reformed electoral system to the country as part of his legacy, especially in the light of the fact that he benefitted from improvements made to the electoral system arising from the recommendations of the Chief Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais Electoral Reform Committee.
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
