By Reginald Tobin

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, CISLAC, and Transparency International, TI, has urged the National Assembly to use its veto power to pass the electoral act amendment bill into law.

In a statement signed by the Executive Director of CISLAC, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani on Tuesday, The CSO explained that the bill will improve the country's electoral system through the use of technology with legal backing, also expressed disappointment on President Buhari's refusal to give ascent to the bill.

According to CISLAC, the bill if passed into law, will ensure transparent elections, which will build the confidence of citizens in the electoral process and encourage better participation among voters and aspirants, as well as reducing the ideology of vote buying.

“The Bill seeks to improve the electoral system by providing the legal backing for the use of technology in the accreditation of voters and transmission of election results.

“It seeks to enhance timelines for electoral activities, including voting, collation, and announcement of results, and adequately defines over-voting, confers authority on INEC to review questionable election results and monitor direct primaries for all political parties.

“We believe that this bill will increase transparency in our electoral process, encourage citizens to participate in the process as aspirants and voters as well as help improve the ideology of our elections by reducing the
reliance on dirty money.”

The CSO, however, noted that the National Assembly, can show it's independence and respect for Nigerians by using it's majority in both houses to pass the bill into law, as stated in section 58 (5) of the constitution.

“We, therefore, call on the 9th Assembly to etch its name in gold in the right pages of our history by exercising its powers under S. 58 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) which states that “Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.

“If the National Assembly vetoes the president, it will show their independence and above all, respect the view of the constituents who gave them the mandate to legislate on their behalf.”

Impossible for rubber stamp nass