Electoral Act: Govs can’t dictate to Buhari – CSOs

A Coalition of Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform has said that the position of some governors on the Electoral Act amendment bill is “unpopular and narrow,” and that they cannot dictate to President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent to the bill which is in the public interest. The National Assembly had transmitted the harmonised […]

A Coalition of Civil Society Partners on Electoral Reform has said that the position of some governors on the Electoral Act amendment bill is “unpopular and narrow,” and that they cannot dictate to President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent to the bill which is in the public interest.

The National Assembly had transmitted the harmonised version of the bill to President Buhari for assent.

Aside from the approval of direct primary as the sole mode for political parties to select candidates, the parliament also empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the procedure for the transmission of election results.

There has been a cold war between governors and legislators over the adoption of direct primaries.

The CSOs, yesterday in Abuja, said the president cannot dictate to the governors on what they do with bills passed at the state level, but it is also his prerogative to sign the electoral bill into law based on popular demand.

The CSOs’ position was signed by the Executive Director, Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, and endorsed by Centre for Liberty, Raising New Voices, Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), NESSACTION, the Nigerian Alliance, the Art and Civics Table and Speak Out Africa Initiative.