Stakeholders pick holes in new Electoral Act

Stakeholders in Rivers State have urged the National Assembly to review the contentions sections of the  Electoral  Amendment  Bill recently signed by President  Muhammadu  Buhari.
 
A frontline politician in the state, Tonye Princewill, observed that the signing of the Act implies that election dates will need to be  shifted to meet the 360-day timeline to the Independent  National  Electoral  Commission  (INEC) to announce the date of elections to the office of President.

Also, an election monitor in the state, Omenazu Jackson , observed that the clause on electronic  transmission  would throw up challenges associated with the lack of  electricity in many parts of the country

The duo spoke in response to questions by The Guardian. Jackson said: “There are some places in the country that do not have electricity  and telecommunications facilities and where they have, it’s too weak. So, there will be some electoral confusion and the National Assembly should look into it.” 

Princewill added: “The other implication is public office holders will have to resign before they contest a primary. That is in contravention with the constitution, as the President has pointed out, so either the lawmakers will amend it or candidates will go to court to challenge it if they are denied the privilege of contesting an election on the grounds that they have not resigned. That leaves it in the hands of the Supreme Court and my money is on the side of public office holders to win, if the National Assembly refuse to heed the advice of their President”

Princewill, however, described  the  signing of the bill  as historic  in the affairs of the nation’s  politics, saying “Our Political parties would now be best advised to only chose candidates who are popular with their people”

He said the President has the interest of Nigerians at heart as he was keen on putting in place a more significant improvement on the conduct of 2023 elections compared to what he met in 2015.