A civil society group under the aegis of Electoral Reform Advocacy has tasked the National Assembly on the passage of the new Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, 2019 currently before the Senate.
The group also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the lawmakers to use the occasion of June 12 Democracy Day to recommit to an enduring electoral reform to facilitate the passage and signing of the bill.
The group urged political parties, election observer groups, international monitors, civil society groups, media and every concerned stakeholder to relaunch a fervent demand for electoral reforms and ask for the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by Co-Convener of the group, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, lawmakers were urged to learn from the impasse that occurred between the executive and the 8th Senate over a similar proposed legislation, and ensure that this bill was passed this year.
The statement reads, “CFL is committed to a comprehensive reform of the legal frameworks underpinning elections in Nigeria, and the occasion of June 12, 2020 represents a significant opportunity for galvanising the public towards electoral reforms that will address the current deficit in the electoral process.
“After 20 years of uninterrupted democratic dispensation in Nigeria, it is incumbent on every Nigerian to ensure we conduct elections that meet global standards and can be likened to the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.”
