The Unified Nigerian Youth Forum has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, describing it as “historic mile stone” for Nigerian democracy.
President of the Unified Nigerian Youth Forum, Comrade Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, said this in a statement on Friday.
“The decision of Mr president to sign the electoral bill in to law today came very lately, but is still far better than when he declined.
“This act is commendable at any rate, as we believe and hope that history will be fair to him on this singular act. The said bill will bring a-lot of significant visible changes in to our entire electoral space.
“The new bill which features the following Clauses; Electronics tramission of results, compulsory usage of card readers, making provision for people living with disabilities and special needs, Resignation of political offices holders before the conduct of party primaries, conduct of party primaries atless 180 days before the general election, INEC can now review results previously declared under duress and so.
“To us as objective observer and stakeholders in the Nigerian project, all the clauses introduce in the bill is aimed at strenghting our democracy at all levels and to equally bring to a complete and logical end all forms of party manipulations that always try to undermine the institution saddle with the responsibilities of conducting election in Nigeria.
“The credibility of our poll’s will bring about positive impact on us (NIG.) among committee of nation, therefore the appeal by President Mohammad Buhari to the both leadership of 9th National Assembly to immediately amend the Act and expunge section 84 which stipulated that anyone holding any political office either as a minister, commissioner, Special Adviser and others, he/she must relinquish the position before they can be eligible to participate either as a delegate or candidate, should be outrightly ignored since the requst is not in the interest of nation democracy and the institution saddle with the conduct of our election, anything short of this will further proves to Nigerians that our Legislative arm of Government is a rubber stamp as previously alleged by many political affairs analyst.
“The president must at the point prove to us that National interest supersede individual and personal demands by not his above requst to delay the release of fund which in return will slow down preparations of the 2023 general elections,” the statement said.
