By Chukwudi Nweje
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) and Aka Ikenga have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, now Electoral Act Amendment Act, 2022.
President of MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu said while the signing is commendable, the onus rests on Nigerians to remain vigilant to ensure that the newly signed act translates into credible elections.
“Signing the Act is only the first stage. Having signed the Act, we must now push for the content of the Act. We must ensure that it is not just the transmission of election results alone, but the transmission of the accredited result. There should be two transmissions, the first stage of the battle has been won, and we must now prepare for stage two. For the election to be credible, the accreditation has to also be transmitted. Thank God we have won the stage one, we must now prepare for the stage two so that we can have credible election in 2023 that is the way forward.”
AYCF President, Yerima Shettima said the onus of the workability of the Act rests on Nigerians.
He said: “This is what everybody had been clamouring for, the president has finally signed the act, so nobody can blackmail him for not signing the electoral bill. However, beyond the bill, if Nigerians are not committed to the terms of the act and free and fair elections and to ensuring that things work well, on its own the act will not work. Nigerians must take their destiny into their hands and ensure that things work well. Until we are prepared to do the things right, that is when things will be right in this country.”
A lawyer, who is former Aka Ikenga president, Chief Goddy Uwazurike said the signing of the act is commendable as the anticipation nearly dashed the expectations of Nigerians.
He said: “It good that President Buhari has signed the bill, now Act. He nearly dashed the expectations of most reasonable people by delaying it until this last minute. It is better late than never. As it is the country is governed by laws and the National Assembly has the power to make laws and the same constitution also defines what roles each person has. The president is expected to act in the interest of the country, not in the interest of a few parochial minded people. By this, I mean that the sections the president complained about, like political appointees presiding at primaries, is the ideal. You cannot be a minister or adviser and while still in office you go and contest a primary for a position. It is totally wrong. That is part of what is agitating the minds of few people.”