The bill, which was passed to the President by the 8th Senate, was rejected by Buhari for various reasons including that it was close to the 2019 general elections.
The Nigerian Senate has been asked to revive the amended electoral bill and pass to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
National Publicity Secretary of the Action Democratic Party, Prince Adelaja Adeoye, made the call on Tuesday after positing that the task is now before the current 9th Assembly to re-introduce the bill to the President for assent.
The bill, which was passed to the President by the 8th Senate, was rejected by Buhari for various reasons including that it was close to the 2019 general elections.
Adelaja stated that there were so many issues being faced by Nigerians, which includes the call for scrapping of police unit, which has become dreaded and a torn in the flesh of citizens leading to a nationwide #EndSARS campaign, but that the people must not also forget to demand that the abandoned amended electoral bill, which is capable of enthroning good leaders that can fix the country be revisited.
He said, “Nigerians are not speaking up on a very important matter that is capable of shaping the 2023 elections. I understand that there are various contending issues we are currently faced with.
“Prior to 2019 elections, the 8th Assembly led by Senate President, @BukolaSaraki presented an amended electoral act, which solves a number of usual irregularities marring our elections.
“The unattended electoral amendment bill by President Buhari was of the 8th Assembly, and for it to be sign into law, it needs to be re-introduced by this current 9th Assembly led by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
“Nigerian populace needs to immediately begin to engage their 9th House of Reps and Senate members in their various constituencies, to as a matter of urgency put pressure on them, to re-introduce the electoral act, as amended by the 8th Assembly, but not signed into law by President Buhari.”
Adelaja noted that the amended Electoral Act solves a number of problems militating against the conduct of our elections.
He added that the essence of having an amended electoral bill amongst other things was to further strengthen the ways our elections were conducted, allow equal opportunity for candidates, conform with mordern electioneering process, and ultimately work against ballot snatching or stuffing through digitalisation.
“It will also bring sanity before, during and after the electioneering process, and mitigate against avoidable loss of lives, time wastage, since electronic means of collation and transmission of results will be involved.
“I call on all Nigerians to rise up and demand from the 9th Assembly to represent the ammended electoral act to President Buhari for his assent. If there are grey areas, they should make it public, so it can be fixed.
“The President has several months to end his second term, which is his last tenure, the best gift both the 9th Assembly and Buhari can give to Nigerians is to leave our electoral process far better than they met it in 2015,” he added.