Electoral Act: National Assembly Toying with Future Of Democracy In Nigeria – Fayose

By Ayodele Oni

The manner the National Assembly handles the issue of the Electoral Act will determine the future of democracy in Nigeria, former Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayo Fayose, has said.

Mr Fayose, also, advised the National Assembly to critically study the issues of electronic transmission of results during general elections and imposition of any particular method of conducting primaries on political parties, as contained in the amendment.

Mr Fayose said in a statement on Sunday that the two issues should be accorded a second look by the Lawmakers in the interest of Nigerians.

Mr Fayose cautioned the Lawmakers against seeing the amendment of the electoral act as personal to them and their political future, saying those in the National Assembly now might be at the receiving end of whatever they do or fail to do.

“If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is saying that it can transmit results electronically anywhere in Nigeria, what then is the NASS afraid of?

“Why is the NASS presenting itself before Nigerians as a clog in the wheel of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria?

“Most importantly, if Point Of Sale (POS) machine is being used for financial transactions everywhere in the country, why can’t we also have an electoral process in which voters will be accredited strictly with card readers and results will be transmitted electronically from the polling units?”

“The NASS should not turn political party into appendages of INEC; telling political parties how to conduct their primary elections to pick their candidates by stipulating who among members of the parties can elect candidates amounts to taking over the powers of the parties to run their affairs.”

According to him, political parties are founded on different ideologies and beliefs, saying it should be the duty of the parties to conduct their affairs in strict compliance with their constitutions.

The former governor further advised that political parties should be allowed to decide whether to use the direct or indirect methods of conducting primaries, as well as those who should vote in such primaries.

“The NASS members should not allow their interest to drag the country democracy into a hitch because if care is not taken, we will be having many court cases in our hands concerning the electoral act, thereby putting the 2023 general elections in jeopardy.

“We are already in economic crisis, the NASS should be mindful of creating another political crisis by using their position for self-preservation instead of serving the interest of Nigeria and its people.

“The NASS should also avoid playing into the hands of the president, bearing in mind that the same President refused to sign amendments to the electoral act in the past.”

Not a few Nigerians were upset that the Senate did not vote for the transmission  of election results electronically. The Bill was defeated by 58 votes to 28.

28 Senators were absent, forcing their constituents to query them.