Electoral Act: Nigeria’s Democracy Is Yours To Save, Secondus charges NASS; Tambuwal Urges Members To Stand Firm

Prince Uche Secondus,

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says the future, the survival or non-survival of Nigeria’s democracy is in the hands of the National Assembly.

For its survival, Secondus charged members of the National Assembly to take a proper look at the Electoral Amendment and ensure that whatever they do with it would  reflect the wishes and desires of Nigerians.

In the same vein, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who was a former Speaker of the House, ask NASS members to push politics aside, and bequeath on Nigerians an electoral process to be proud of.

In a statement titled Electronic Transmission of Votes: An Appeal To National Assembly Members To Do The Right Thing, Tambuwal said: “It is in the National interest to bequeath to Nigeria an Electoral Act that will contribute to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria irrespective of party platform”

Secondus said in a statement from his media office on Monday that the legislators should know that the easiest way to engender the eluding peace in the land today is through a free, fair and credible elections which can only be guaranteed by the sincere amendment of the Act.

“Free and fair election is critical to the future of our democracy and it behoves on you parliamentarians to save this democracy by doing the needful

“It’s the electoral reform carried out by PDP administration that prepared the enabling ground that saw an opposition come to power in 2015, to deepen our democracy therefore, we must improve on it and put our nation in positive light in the comity of democratic nations.

The PDP boss said that every true representative of the people in a parliament must ensure that all critical decisions reflect the wishes and desires of their people.

“There is no doubt that every Nigerian desires a free and transparent elections and this can only be gotten if the Electoral Act is adequately amended to meet their aspirations.

“Laws are made for the interest of the nation not to satisfy any individual, political party or groups”

Prince Secondus charged Nigerians, and civil society bodies desirous of bequeathing true and lasting democracy in this country to rise and pressure their legislators to do the needful.

Finally, the National Chairman urged the lawmakers to appreciate the mood of the nation and endeavor to take actions that will bring down rather than aggravate issues.

In Tambuwal’s statement, he said that the whole political class, the civil society and the international community,  are overwhelmingly in support of Electronic Transmission of Votes.

Following is Tambuwal’s full statement.

“I  am minded and constrained to add my voice in making this appeal to the sitting members of the National Assembly, not as the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, nor as Chairman of the PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM, not even as the Governor of Sokoto State but as a Nigerian citizen and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“2. We believe, that it is in the national interest to bequeath to Nigeria an Electoral Act that will contribute to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria irrespective of party platform. We have seen many times where a person may be in the ruling party today and in the opposition party tomorrow. We have also experienced a situation where party leaders would want to frustrate the re- election of a sitting member, even in the same political Party. What guarantees the re-election of a member of the National Assembly or indeed any other contestant should be his performance and appeal not the dictates of any godfather either as Governor, President or Party leader or stakeholder.

“3. It is a credible, free, and fair election that will ensure that the voters decide any electoral contest. The Edo and Ondo States elections where electronic transmission of votes cast from the unit level ensured that the voters wishes were respected are good examples. PDP won in Edo and APC won in Ondo as a result.

“4. Some have argued that INTERNET penetration in all parts of Nigeria is not assured. This is exactly why the bill should give INEC the prerogative of introducing ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES in any election. In any case, INEC has demonstrated and assured that it has the technology to transmit votes electronically even WITHOUT THE INTERNET. INEC had also assured that with the  new process and technology, any interested Nigerian could track or monitor the results of the election from his or her house.

“Once results of elections are announced from the collation centres, down to the wards, Local Governments and final collation centres, any person can monitor it without any human error”, INEC announced recently.

“5. The international community, INEC, the entire Civil Society, almost ALL the political parties are in support of ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES.

“6. One must distinguish ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION of votes from ELECTRONIC VOTING, which in my view is a little bit more problematic, though achievable.

“7. My intervention is not a partisan one. It must be seen as a contribution from someone who has had varied experiences as a legislator, a former Speaker, a sitting Governor and one who has been involved in leadership of political Parties.

“8. As you decide this question, please, be guided by the wishes of your constituents who should be ultimate arbiters in a democracy.”