The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the signing into law of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022, by President Muhammadu Buhari as a big win for the country’s democracy.
Sen. John Akpanudodehe, National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
While assenting to the Bill, Buhari said it would improve and engender clarity, effectiveness and transparency of the election process and reduce to the barest minimum incidences of acrimony arising from dissatisfied candidates and political parties.
He said the Bill was in line with the policy of the APC to bequeath posterity and landmark legal framework that would pave the way for credible and sound electoral process that Nigerians would be proud of.
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Akpankudohede said the development would provide an improved legal framework in the build up to the 2023 general elections.
“This is a big win for our electioneering processes and our democracy,” the APC scribe said.
He added that since 2015 when the Buhari-led APC government came into being, its commitment and support for constitutionally permitted innovations that would improve the transparency and credibility of Nigeria’s electioneering processes and internal democracy had not been in doubt.
He added that the new Electoral Act was another pointer to this fact.
“From legal backing given to election management bodies to review election results declared under duress, provisions for people with disabilities and special needs, electronic transmission of election results among other key provisions.
“Current and coming generations will fondly remember Buhari as the courageous leader who institutionalised credible elections and internal democracy in Nigeria,”he said.
He appreciated the patriotic efforts of the National Assembly, civil societies, development partners and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians whose collective efforts and support birthed the new Electoral Act.
Akpankudohede added that the task of improving the credibility of the country’s elections was however, a collective and continuous one.
He further added that as a party and government, the APC would continue to champion needed reforms in the interest of all and the development of the country.
“We hereby call on well-meaning Nigerians to join us to completely stamp out past practices of electoral fraud weaponised by past administrations,” he said.
Also reacting to the development, Chief Anthony Ndanenu, an APC chieftain in Delta, said the signing into law of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill meant the end to imposition of candidates on electorate.
Ndanenu said the new electoral Act had addressed incidences of rigging, and imposition of candidates by political Godfathers on the electorate.
“To me, it is farewell to rigging and imposition of councillors or candidates on the electorate.
“If you want to be a councillor or local government chairman, the people will deliver you not the governor or his henchmen as had been the case in most situations,” Ndanenu said.(NAN)