Enough is enough, Buhari sign electoral act bill – CSOs

A coalition of 26 Civil Society organizations (CSOs) at a protest in Abuja on Tuesday declared that “enough is enough”, demanding President Muhammadu Buhari to sing the electoral act amendment bill now. The CSOs argued that the failure of the president to sign the electoral act amendment bill on Tuesday will scuttle plans for the 2023 general elections.

Leaders of the CSOs at the protest venue at Freedom Park, Abuja, expressed that President Buhari swore to uphold and defend the constitution of Nigeria, challenging the president to abide with the oath he took, and sign the electoral act bill now.

The protesters noted that upholding and defending the country’s constitution is not the exclusive duty of only one man, adding that they were at the protest venue to make their contributions to the defence of the constitution by making demands on the government.

Leaders of the civil society organisations observed that “each time the bill is returned to the National Assembly after rejection by the President, the lawmakers add a new controversial clause”; asking: “is this a conspiracy?”

The civil society actors also demanded: “give us the bill and give us responsible people who will be electoral umpires.”

Awwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Centre, demanded an end to irregularities and manipulations of the electoral processes in Nigeria. He added that civil society will not end with the demand for the signing of the electoral act amendment bill by President Buhari but will monitor to ensure proper implementation of the electoral law, saying that ‘enough is enough’ of electoral fraud and political corruption in the country.

The CSOs leaders declared: “President Buhari sign the bill! Nigerians are tired of electoral fraud; Nigerians are tired of electoral manipulation; Nigerians are tired of money bag politicians, tired electoral and political corruption.”

They reiterated that not signing the electoral act amendment bill on Tuesday will jeopardize plans for the 2023 general elections, affect the INEC timetable for 2023 polls. They also observed that a political party is struggling with holding its national convention, warning that leaders of such party should not make this a national problem.

“The delay in signing the electoral act amendment bill on Tuesday will jeopardize plans for the 2023 general elections; INEC will face uncertainty over the timetable for the elections, individuals will be confused on campaign plans, things will be done haphazardly.

“We heard that a party is struggling with its national convention. We hear of postponement, postponement, postponement; they should not make it a national problem,” the civil society leaders declared.