Passage of Electoral Amendment Bill fraudulent - Activist tells Buhari

A Kogi State based activist, Comrade Idris Abdul Miliki, has described the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill by the National Assembly as fraudulent.

Miliki, who is the Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution, CHRCR, questioned the rationale behind passage of the Bill by the House of Representatives and the Senate, saying the will of Nigerians was subverted by their elected representatives.

Speaking Monday August 2, in Lokoja during a one-day capacity building for Civil Society Organizations, the activist stated that it was uncalled for and disastrous in the Nation’s Electoral system for the National Assembly to subject the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the mercy of the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) in the transmission of election results.

Our Kogi State Correspondent reports that Miliki, spoke on chartered of demands on prioritizing anti-corruption and accountability issues in the upcoming 2023 general elections at the state level

Miliki said: “The bill is fraudulent in the sense that it does not reflect the wish of the majority that elected them into office. They didn't not invite or they did invite INEC but they do not allow them to make presentation. INEC has certain responsibilities as provided by law. Even the National Assembly is a creation of the Nigeria constitution.

“Why should they pass a bill subjecting INEC to Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC? Why should before the passage of the bill invite NCC, who later came to provide information that is not relevant today. They brought information of 2018 when we are in 2021. 

“We may not have an acceptable Electoral Act before the 2023 election. INEC has given us timetable of election in the next 30 years, why should those people contesting this election which are the National Assembly people work against the people. What they have done is fraudulent, as they did not fulfil the promise made to the people".

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to decline assent to the bill, stressing that the bill should be returned for Nigerians to engage the process further.

This Newspaper reports that a paper was presented by Mr. Jide Ojo, a Development Consultant on the 'role of CSO's in anticorruption and accountability in electoral process'.

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