New Amended Electoral Act will strengthen the electoral process -Dr. Osagie

A Legal Practitioner, former National Assembly Member and current Chairman of African Bar Association, Nigeria Forum, Dr. Samson Osagie has said that the Electoral Bill as assented to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari will strengthen the electoral process in Nigeria if followed to the latter.

Dr. Osagie who made this known to our Correspondent in Benin while commenting on the Electoral Act via phone call averred that the Electoral Act is one piece of legislation that will improve the electoral process provided all political gladiators and actors involved play in accordance with the law.

“The Electoral Bill as assented to by the President is in order and will usher in a fairer and better electoral process in Nigeria particularly as it relates to giving more independence to the electoral commission which is Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

In respect to financial provisions, the law says that INEC must get the money to run the election a year before the main elections. It has done very well to make INEC prepared. It has also made provisions for activities of the election. It will make the process less cumbersome by the deployment of technology to also make the process more credible. The timelines for electoral activities has been straightened out. It has also assisted political parties to plan their political activities for the nomination of candidates and submission of forms. Even up to the point of political parties inspecting the ballot paper before the election date so parties that are fielding candidates will see if they were excluded from the ballot paper or not”.

On the plea by the President that a certain part of the Bill is deleted, Dr. Osagie said, “the electoral act has been signed into law and there is no provision in the Constitution which says that President can assent to a bill with reservations. It is law including section 84 ( 12 ) of the act. If the National Assembly feels compelled to look at the bill again it is within their constitutional right to do so. And I don’t think there is need for them to begin another process of amending the law that has taken a lot of time, effort and mobilization by Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria to do”.

While advising INEC to play by the rules to engender an enduring electoral system that guarantees free and fair elections, the former National Assembly Member urged the electorate to get registered and make out time to exercise their right to vote

“INEC should play by the rules and ensure that the votes of the electorate of this country count so that in the leadership recruitment process only the people that are elected legitimately by the votes of the electorate has the opportunity to public offices. INEC must not bend their own rules, they must abide by the electoral laws and resist the temptation of coming under pressure to do what is not right by the Constitution.

The electorate must register and have their voters card because the power to enthrone a government that will reflect the yearnings and aspirations of the people are actually in their hands and not in the hands of the political class. The electorate must not be lackadaisical in approaching the voting stations on election day. In a democracy, it is the people that must cast their votes to elect their leaders at all levels of government”, he enthused.