Address errors, gaps in Electoral Bill now, Groups tell NASS

A coalition of CSOs, including Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Citizens with Disability (CCD), The Albino Foundation, CLEEN Foundation, Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) and Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) have asked the national assembly to correct the many errors and gap in the Electoral Bill rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group in a memo addressed to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the House of Representatives, and Amos Ojo, clerk of the national assembly, and other senior officials of the legislative arm of government asked the national assembly to ensure “due diligence” is carried out before the bill is represented to the president for assent.

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“The undersigned Civil Society Organisations, following an in-depth and comprehensive review of the Electoral Bill 2021 for which the President declined assent, wish to draw the attention of the National Assembly to identify drafting errors and cross-referencing gaps in the Bill,” the CSOs said.

“We urge the National Assembly to address these errors and gaps before re-submitting the Bill for Presidential assent to eliminate any form of ambiguity or legal complications in the application of the Bill when it is enacted.

“We reiterate our earlier call on the National Assembly to expeditiously conclude this process and re-transmit the Electoral Bill 2021 to the President for assent within 30 days from 21st December 2021.

“Any further delay in concluding the process of enacting the Electoral Bill 2021 will directly impact INEC’s preparations for the 2023 general election.”