2023: Too late now to sign Electoral Act Amendment, Poll observers tell Buhari

A Coalition of Election Monitors and Observers (CEMO) has counselled President Muhammadu Buhari against assenting to the Electoral Act 2022 amendment bill as it will come too late in the day with preparations for the 2023 general elections in full gear.

The coalition made up of 24 election monitoring groups, posited after a meeting in Abuja, on Monday, that signing the bill now will cause disruption in the processes of elections already commenced by political parties under the provisions of the extant law.

The group noted that as desirable as the amendment is, signing the bill after most political parties have already started implementing critical aspects of the electoral process under the current law is “dangerous, counter-productive, capable of triggering widespread political crisis and litigations that can derail the 2023 general elections.”

According to the National Convener of CEMO, Dr Idris Yabu, who presented the report of the election monitors to the media, the President must save the nation from needless political crisis by returning the Amendment Bill to the National Assembly for reprocessing for future elections.

The coalition observed that President Buhari ought to have signed the bill earlier to give political parties a uniform direction for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections.

It noted that any amendment to the existing law this time will amount to changing the rules in the middle of the game and disrupting the entire electoral process.

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CEMO added: “After a very extensive review and consultations on the issue, we submit that the amendments sought to Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022, as desirable as they may be, have been overtaken by events leading to the 2023 general elections.

“It is instructive to note that political parties, especially the two major political parties in Nigeria have already started the electoral processes under the timelines, schedules and rules prescribed by the provisions of the extant Electoral Act 2022.

“More importantly, it must be noted that political parties have already structured their timetables, sold nomination forms, screened aspirants, conducted congresses, elected delegates, with major parties already holding primaries and candidates already emerging under the rules provided for in the current Electoral Act, 2022.

“In this regard, any alteration or amendment to the Electoral Act, at this moment, will amount to changing the rules in the middle of the game. Such will be “dangerous and counter-productive to our democratic process. It will trigger widespread political crisis and result in litigations that can derail the 2023 general elections.

“Our observation shows that political parties, aspirants and the electorate have already adjusted to the current provision of Section 84 of the Electoral Act. Candidates are already peacefully emerging. Any alteration at this moment has the propensity of dislocating the current political tranquillity in the country and disrupt the entire electoral process.

“CEMO, therefore, urges President Muhammadu Buhari to save the nation from a serious political crisis at this moment by returning the Amendment Bill to the National Assembly for reprocessing for future elections.

“CEMO also urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to advice, Mr President, in this direction to avoid political crisis and ensure the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.”

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2023: Too late now to sign Electoral Act Amendment, Poll observers tell Buhari

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2023: Too late now to sign Electoral Act Amendment, Poll observers tell Buhari