A former Senate President and one of the aspirants for the 2023 presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bukola Saraki, has given thumbs-up to President Muhammadu Buhari for finally accenting to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 and signing same into law.
The two-term governor of Kwara State, in a statement issued Friday, said it is his conviction that the new law will improve the electoral process in Nigeria, thereby ensuring the institutionalisation of more transparent, fair and more credible elections in the country.
He said Buhari’s accent is a major step towards ensuring that the Nigerian masses have the final say in all elections.
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“This new Electoral Act will bring us closer to having free, fair, and peaceful elections where people’s votes will count and where the majority will have their way and the minority will have their say. For too long, the old electoral law had been part of the problem. We can now seek to elect our leaders having in mind the current challenges facing our country”, the former Senate President said.
According to him, “with a new Electoral Act, we can move on to debating real solutions to the problems of insecurity, creation of jobs, strengthening of the economy, cementing national unity, and building a better future for all Nigerians.
“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for finally signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. I also commend the National Assembly, Civil Society Organisations, and all Nigerians that insisted that we deserve a new law that will guarantee fairer elections in 2023 and beyond.
“I must also specifically applaud members of the civil society for their continuous agitation for the passage and signing of the new Electoral Act.”
Saraki’s statement reads in part:
“The new law provides an opportunity for all Nigerians to be part of the efforts to build a better future for our country. They have the chance to have their voices heard. If we want a fresh start, if we want a new direction for Nigeria, we all have to vote for it.
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“This new Electoral Act will bring us closer to having free, fair, and peaceful elections where people’s votes will count and where the majority will have their way and the minority will have their say. For too long, the old electoral law had been part of the problem. We can now seek to elect our leaders having in mind the current challenges
facing our country.
“With a new Electoral Act, we can move on to debating real solutions to the problems of insecurity, creation of jobs, strengthening of the economy, cementing national unity, and building a better future for all Nigerians.
“That is why it is with great joy that I welcome the news that the country finally has a new Electoral Act. It is better late than never!”
Buhari, had on December 21 declined assent to the Electoral Bill which was transmitted to him on November 19, after the Senate and the House of Representatives had passed it.”
According to Saraki, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, also deserving of commendation are the various interest and pressure groups who mounted pressure and made call for the new law to see the light of day.
His words: “Let me specifically commend the efforts of groups like Adopt A Goal Initiative; Raising New Voices Initiative; Human Rights Advocate; One Love Foundation; To Build The Nation Civil Society; YIAGA Africa; International Press Centre (IPC); Centre for Citizens With Disability (CDD); Albino Foundation; CLEEN Foundation; Institute for Media and Society (IMS); Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF); Human Rights Advocate; Ready to Lead Africa and Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCI), amongst many others.
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“They have kept the issue of the passage of the Electoral Act on the front burner for the past year. They were unrelenting and with the passage of the law, they deserve to be specially commended. We hope they will continue this good work on other key issues that are very
important to the development of our dear country.
“The young people in these CSOs have yet again shown that they can build a better nation if they set their minds to it. Their persistence, energy, and constructive agitation have contradicted any claim that Nigeria’s young people are lazy!
“Rather, the young people of today are reminding us of the role their forebears played in the Nationalist struggle of the pre-independence era — particularly, the National Youth Movement (NYM), played in bringing an end to colonial rule.
“I enjoin these young people in the CSOs to take their efforts to another level by mobilising their numerous colleagues to go and register to vote…”