Electoral Amendment Bill: CSOs insist Buhari’s assent must not be delayed

The problems surrounding the amended Electoral Act Amendment Bill may have worsened, as a coalition of civil society organizations has asked the president not to delay assenting to the bill until March 1, 2022.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparations for the 2023 general elections, particularly the purchase and deployment of resources for the polls, are being hampered by the delays, according to the CSOs, which number over 26.

Despite assurances from President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, that the bill would be signed in a matter of hours, their doubts remain.

According to the civil society organizations, Buhari should at the very least honor the wishes of the people by assenting to the law and returning it to the National Assembly for further alteration if he has qualms about its current composition.

“We call on President Buhari to sign the Electoral Bill into law on or before the expiration of the 30 days timeline on the 1st March 2022 to enable INEC to issue Notice of Election and release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election.

“Further amendments to the Electoral Bill 2022 can be proposed after assent has been granted. It is within the President’s prerogative to propose amendments after signing the bill like he did in the case of the Petroleum Industry Bill and 2022 Appropriation bill, an act that attracted commendation.

“The National Assembly should ensure gazetted copies of the Electoral Act 2022 are available to citizens as soon as the bill is signed into law.

“You will recall that on the 18th February 2022, civil society groups had called on President Buhari to assent to the Electoral Bill 2022 on or before Tuesday, 22nd February 2022 to avert any shift in the date for the 2023 elections already fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Our demand was informed by the provisions of Clause 28 (1) of the Electoral Bill 2022, which requires INEC to issue Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election”.