A group of 26 civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria has declared 22 February, 2022, as ‘national day of protest’ to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
President Muhammadu Buhari had withheld assent to the bill over concerns tied to the recommendation of direct primaries.
Buhari, in a letter to the lawmakers, noted that the mandatory use of direct primaries for all political parties in the country will be too expensive to execute, saying that it will put a financial burden on Nigeria’s slim resources.
The National Assembly later removed the controversial clause and introduced a clause that allows political parties to elect their candidates using direct, indirect or consensus methods.
The federal legislature retransmitted the revised bill to President Buhari on 31 January.
In a statement to Development Diaries, the CSOs lamented the delay in granting presidential assent to the bill.
They called on the president to sign the bill before 22 February as further delay ‘will create legal uncertainties that threaten the integrity of the off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun, and the 2023 general election’.
‘The bill, when signed, requires INEC to issue notice of election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election’, the statement read.
‘Therefore, the president has to give assent to the bill on or before 22nd February, 2022, if the dates announced for the 2023 elections are to be maintained’.
The CSO also said, ‘The civil society community declares Tuesday, 22nd February, 2022, as the national day of protest to demand immediate assent to the bill.
‘Civil society networks will organise peaceful public direct-action activities to further the demand to assent the bill.
‘We urge citizens across the nation to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance’.
The 26 CSOs include Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room; Yiaga Africa; Partners for Electoral Reform (PER); International Press Centre; Institute for Media and Society; Nigerian Women Trust Fund; The Albino Foundation; Centre for Citizens with Disability (CCD); and Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ).
Others are Labour Civil Society Coalition (LASCO); Transition Monitoring Group; CLEEN Foundation; Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGO); Inclusive Friends Association (IFA); Enough is Enough; The Electoral Hub; Centre for Liberty; Take Back Nigeria Movement; International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC); 100 Women Lobby Group; Women in Politics Forum; Raising New Voices; Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa; and Ready To Lead Africa.
Photo source: j-No
