The President, Muhammadu Buhari, withhold assent from the
Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 to save Nigeria’s democracy.
The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba
Shehu, made this known in a statement titled, ‘In amending the electoral act,
the nation first, always for Mr. President’, on Tuesday.
Shehu explained that that the proposed amendments entail
significant legal, financial, economic and security consequences for all
Nigerians.
He said, “The President’s decision to withhold assent from
the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 has come under scrutiny from media and
political circles. This is quite correct because it is a decision that will
impact all Nigerians. The President’s Office has decided therefore to issue an
official statement to make its position clear.
“Nigeria’s strength as a nation and its status as one of the
wealthiest economies in Africa with one of its highest standards of living owes
above all to its proud democratic processes, which are enshrined in the
Electoral Act of 2010.
“It is this act which the new bill seeks to amend. These
amendments have been presented as a means to enhance and build upon our
democratic processes. After careful review, the President’s Office has found
that the opposite is true.
“Rather, the proposed amendments entail significant legal,
financial, economic and security consequences for all Nigerians, principal
among which would be a severe spike in the cost of holding primary elections by
parties – integral to democracies the world over.
“And who would shoulder these costs? The Nigerian taxpayer
of course. And who would benefit? Only the richest of political parties. At a
time when the nation is seeking to extricate itself from the economic mire of
the worst global health crisis in living memory, whatever other merits the new
bill may have, now is not the time for such frivolous spending of public money.
“Inevitably, the usual voices are making themselves heard,
with cynical claims of election rigging and so on. This is nothing new. We
heard their self-serving cries of fraud in 2015, when we saw the first peaceful
transfer of power in independent Nigeria’s history. Then again in 2019, when
President Buhari was re-elected with a lead of over three million. We will hear
them again in 2023.
“Until then, the President will do whatever he can to
protect this county’s democracy, and that includes withholding assent from this
Bill. It is worth noting that, as one of Nigeria’s largest political parties,
the ruling APC is one of those that stand to benefit from a bill that favours
wealthier parties. But it is not the job of this government to protect the APC.
It is the job of this government to protect Nigeria, her people and her
democracy.
“To those that would rather that limited public funds be
spent on politicking during this time of global crisis, we say: cease these
cynical games. Tell the Nigerian people openly what you want. Put your – or
rather their – money where your mouth is.”
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