The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act which he had earlier refused to sign.
The civil group described President Buhari’s refusal to sign the bill as a betrayal of his oath of allegiance to the constitution.
It added that such a decision by the Presidency was an affront to the rights of Nigerians to participate in his government.
SERAP stated this on its Twitter page on Tuesday where it stated, “President Buhari’s failure to sign the electoral bill that would improve the transparency of the electoral process is a betrayal of his constitutional oath of office.
“It’s an affront to Nigerians’ right to participate in their government. He must immediately sign the bill.”
BREAKING: President Buhari’s failure to sign the electoral bill that would improve transparency of the electoral process is a betrayal of his constitutional oath of office.
It’s an affront to Nigerians’ right to participate in their government. He must immediately sign the bill
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) December 21, 2021
President Buhari earlier on Tuesday wrote the House of Representatives to explain reasons why he declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which relates to the provision for direct party primaries.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the President enumerated a series of disadvantages of the system which he said include the manipulation by incumbent officeholders who seek re-election, as well as political parties’ inability to muster the funds to finance it.
Also, the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill was earlier declined assent to be signed into law because it was perceived to cause trouble among the political parties in the country.
President Buhari had cited the direct primaries as approved by the National Assembly for picking candidates by political parties in the amended Electoral Act as dangerous to the polity.
He was said to have refused to assent to it against the backdrop that the parties have their various constitutions that indicate that primaries should be conducted either directly or indirectly.
