Politics
NLC charges Buhari to sign Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, in a statement titled: ”Time to Strengthen Democracy in Nigeria” in Abuja.
He said that the most topical items of the amendment included the adoption of direct primaries for internal political parties’ contestants.
He said there was a need for the expansion of the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to develop guidelines as it deemed fit to guide the deployment of technology during elections in Nigeria.
Wabba said, “This is also the view of the NLC. The leadership of the congress commends the House of Representatives and the Senate particularly the leadership.
READ ALSO: Buhari, Lawan meet on Electoral Act Amendment Bill
”Also, those who stood rock solid behind the proposal for direct primaries for all political parties and rallied their colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass the bill into law.
”This is the proof of committed leadership and true statesmanship. The congress must, however, caution that the passage of the 2021 amendment to the Electoral Act is only a journey and not a destination.
”A lot more certainly needs to be done in order to fully sanitise Nigeria’s challenged electioneering system, especially building on 2007 to 2011 electoral reforms which the NLC actively participated in.
”First is to tackle the menace of godfatherism, ‘godmotherism’ and money politics which were the major concerns that necessitated the new law on direct primaries for all political parties.
”Due diligence and oversight must be applied to ensure that unscrupulous politicians who have been cultured to vote-buying, monetisation of Nigeria’s electoral process are not allowed to extend their habitual criminal subversion of our democracy during political party primary elections,” he said.
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