The Nigeria’s 9th Assembly led by Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has been charged not to forget the amended electoral act, which President Buhari did not sign into law close to the 2019 elections.
This call was made on Tuesday morning in a series of Tweets by the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Prince Adelaja Adeoye, via his official Twitter handle (@AdelajaAdeoye).
The young politician noted that, since Buhari cited time frame, amongst other reasons he could not sign the bill into law before the 2019 general elections, he argued that the task is now before the 9th Assembly to re-introduce the bill.
Adelaja posited that there are many issues being faced by Nigerians, which includes the call for scrapping of police unit which has become dreaded and torn in the flesh of citizens leading to a nationwide #EndSARS campaign, but that the people must not also forget to demand that the abandoned amended electoral bill, which is capable of enthroning good leaders that can fix the country be revisited.
Adelaja Tweeted as follows:
1 Nigerians are not speaking up on a very important matter, that is capable of shaping the 2023 elections. I understand that there are various contending issues we are currently faced with. #FixElectoralBill
2. Prior to 2019 elections, the 8th Assembly led by Senate President, @BukolaSaraki presented an amended electoral act, which solves a number of usual irregularities marring our elections.
#FixElectoralBill
3. This bill was not assented to by President Buhari, with the excuse of time frame, when it was put before him by the 8th Assembly, that the bill was presented very close to Election. After the elections were concluded, till date, the Buhari’s Federal Executive no longer talking about the bill. #FixElectoralBill
4. The unattended electoral amendment bill by President Buhari was of the 8th Assembly, and for it to be sign into law, it needs to be re-introduced by this current 9th Assembly led by Senate President Ahmad Lawan. #FixElectoralBill
5. Nigerian populace needs to immediately begin to engage their 9th House of Reps and Senate members in their various constituencies, to as a matter of urgency put pressure on them, to re-introduce the electoral act, as amended by the 8th Assembly, but not signed into law by Prez Buhari. #FixElectoralBill
6. The 8th Assembly amended Electoral act, solves a number of problems militating against the conduct of our elections. Having the amended act passed into law and signed by Prez Buhari should be our focus because of the 2023 elections. #FixElectoralBill
7. The essence of having an amended electoral bill, amongst other things, is to further strengthen the ways our elections are conducted, allow equal opportunity for candidates, conform with mordern electioneering process, and ultimately work against ballot snatching or stuffing through digitalization. #FixElectoralBill
8. Calling for #FixElectoralBill will not only benefit all Nigerians, it will also bring sanity before, during and after the electioneering process, and mitigate against avoidable loss of lives, time wastage, since electronic means of collation and transmission of results will be involved.
#FixElectoralBill
9. Nigerian youths have been on the streets protesting on a number of issues, the only way some of their demands can be resolved is when they are allowed to elect leaders of their choice and this can only be possible through a fixed electoral system. #FixElectoralBill
10. I call on all Nigerians to rise up and demand from the 9th Assembly to represent the ammended electoral act to Prez Buhari for his assent. If there are gray areas, they should make it public, so it can be fixed. #FixElectoralBill
11. The President has several months to end his second term, which is his last tenure, the best gift both the 9th Assembly and Buhari can give to Nigerians is to leave our electoral process far better than they met it in 2015. #FixElectoralBill
12. I hold a firm belief that, we can only rework or fix Nigeria, when we have a uniform electoral process, across Nigerian States. The 8th Assembly ammended electoral act has clearly xrayed most of the challenges, and have proffered solutions, it now left for 9th Assembly and Buhari to take actions. #FixElectoralBill
13. Nigerians, men, women, young and old, and all stakeholders who wants the progress of our dear country, must as a matter of urgency beam their attention on how the 9th Assembly can ensure that Prez Buhari sign the amended Electoral act before 2023 elections. #FixElectoralBill
14. INEC, Civil Society Organizations, local and international election observers, should also see to engaging the 9th Assembly on how the amended Electoral act can be assented into law by President Buhari after it is being re-presented by the 9th Senate led by SP Ahmad Lawan. #FixElectoralBill
