No fewer than 26 Civil Society Organisations stormed the streets of Abuja, Tuesday, to demand President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent to the much-talked about Electoral Act Amendment Bill in a ‘matter of hours,’ as the presidency had earlier said.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, had on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television said President Buhari would in a matter of hours sign the re-worked Electoral Bill.
“It could be signed today; it could be signed tomorrow. In a matter of hours; not days. Hours could be 24 hours; it could be 48 hours; not days, not weeks,” Adesina stated.
But the CSO coalition that converged at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, for the demonstration, called on the President to immediately give his assent to the bill, describing it as a matter of urgent national importance to save the 2023 general elections.
The groups displayed various placards with inscription demanding presidential assent to the Bill before the Ekiti, Osun and the 2023 elections.
The coalition stressed that the bill allowed electronic transmission of results, strengthened the financial independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission and empowered the commission to reject falsified election results.
Speaking during the demonstration, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo noted that CSOs in the country will continue to put pressure on the incumbent administration until the electoral bill is signed into law and adequately implemented.
In his words, “Everyone who has come out today has upheld their civic responsibilities, we want to let you know that the pressure that we are inserting on citizens is being felt. Now we are receiving positive results. So don’t think the fact that you have come out today is a waste of your time and your effort. Know that whatever action you take as a citizen is yielding the results.
“The President’s spokesman as he said, on a TV interview, that the President will assent to Bill in a matter of hours, whether 24 or 48 or 72 hours. Know therefore every effort you put into this is yielding results, it’s not a waste. We also want to urge you to sustain this that beyond this Electoral bill, in case you have not registered for your PVC, please go and register, collect your PVC, and then vote on the day of election, it’s still an important part of the voters civic duties and responsibilities.”
Speaking also, Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, described Buhari’s continued delay to sign the Electoral Bill as unfair and unjust.
While calling on the President to immediately sign the bill, the activist said any further delay could affect the integrity of the upcoming elections.
Obi said: “This is the sixth time, the national assembly has passed the bill. We are calling him(Buhari) as the father of the nation to sign the bill. Each and every one of you is responsible for upholding and defending the constitution of Nigeria. A constitution is not just one person, we know that more than 400 members of the National Assembly have passed this bill. Sometimes we know what the problems are because each time a bill is returned to the National Assembly they add another clause before it goes to the President. So this is a conspiracy against the Nigerian people? is this a conspiracy to rig the elections. We are urging the President to sign this bill in 2022.
“The President made a promise to Nigerians on the national television, a promise. We are happy that Femi Adesina said yesterday that the President is going to sign the bill in a matter of hours. But we are not here to claim the glory. Give us a bill, give us responsible umpire who will monitor elections,” she added.
