Following the confirmation of the transmission of the re-amended Electoral Bill recently passed by the National Assembly to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called on Mr. President to “assent the bill without further delay as the lawmakers has removed the contentious clause on direct party primary elections.”
President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, had, on Monday, confirmed the transmission of the re-amended bill to the President.
He had explained that the transmission of the bill to Mr. President was in line with the provisions of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004.
However, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP said “nothing should be a stumbling block to the assent of the bill by Mr. President as the National Assembly has done his bidding.
“Nigerian democracy is at the crossroads and improving our electoral system is a must for the survival of the country itself.
“The best legacy Mr. President can leave at this time of our national life is to bequeath on the country transparent elections, of which assent to the Electoral Act Amendment is critical.
“We hereby join other well-meaning Nigerians to call on Mr. President to immediately sign the re-amended Electoral Bill in demonstration of a genuine commitment to electoral reform as both a victim of electoral manipulation and a beneficiary of improved electoral system under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2015.
“Therefore, we urge Mr. President to ensure that he is on the right side of history and be referenced as electoral reform ambassador at the end of his tenure”, the CNPP said.
