Dogara: Nigerians will accept nothing short of openness, adherence to rules in 2019 elections
Sequel to the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly three times, Yakubu Dogara, speaker, House of Representatives, on Thursday warnedtheindependentnational Electoral Commission (INEC) and Police that Nigerians would accept nothing short of complete openness, a level playing ground and strict adherence to extant electoral laws in the conduct of the 2019 elections.
Dogaraalsonotedthatthepalpable fears of well-meaning Nigerians and the international community of the possibility of some forces working to manipulate the comingelectionsbyexploitingthe identifiedloopholesinthecurrent Electoralactmightbecomeareality if critical stakeholders did not take proactive steps.
In a speech to mark the resumption of the House from the Christmas and New Year break deliveredonthefloorofthehouse on Thursday, the Speaker stated, “It should remain a thing of pride for us that the National Assembly has done its best by taking steps to guarantee the successful and rancour-free conduct of the 2019 general elections by passing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill for the third time after Mr President had declined assent to it twice.
“Lack of passage into Law of the amended Bill means that the impending General Elections will not benefit from the innovative mechanisms crafted in its collaboration with international and development partners.
“Consequently, the palpable fears of well-meaning Nigerians and the international community of the possibility of some forces working to manipulate the coming elections by exploiting the identifiedloopholesinthecurrent Electoral Act, may become a reality if proactive steps are not taken by critical stakeholders.
“Hon. Members, I believe that our intention to improve on the successes of the 2015 General Election through the Amendment Bill, is very clear to all fair-minded Nigerians. The spate of serious allegationsbystakeholders,corroboratedbysomepressreportsagainst Inecandthenigerianpoliceinthe recent elections, which are already subjects of litigations, are some of the factors that gave rise to public apprehensiononthesuccessofthe coming general elections.
“We had intended, through this Bill, to minimise the risk to the survival of our hard-won democracythroughresponsiveandtimely legislation aimed at ensuring free, fair and transparent elections. Nonetheless, as Parliament, we have done our best to guarantee the stability and growth of our fragiledemocracy,andihavenodoubt that history will be very kind to us.
“Under the present circumstance, we have no choice than to take INEC and the Police by their wordsandgivethemthebenefitof doubtintheirrecentassurancesto be impartial, efficient and truthful in the conduct of the coming elections. This is the minimum that the country deserves from them at this auspicious time. Nothing short of complete openness, a level playing ground and strict adherence to extant Laws will be acceptable to Nigerians.”
He also called on President Buhari to take a hard look at Nigeria’s national security architecture with a view to securing lives, national pride and prestige and to fight against unbridled violence.
“We are all witnesses to the continuous deteriorating security situation in our country, more especially in the North East, North West and some parts of the North Central. Only three days ago, scores of people were killed in Sokoto State and elsewhere,” he stated, saying hardly does any week passes without reports of mass killings and bloodletting, eitherbyterroristsorarmedbandits.
“This calls for drastic, urgent and concerted action and efforts tobringtoaquickend.ourcitizens arelookinguptousandwecan’taffordtofailthembecausesecurityof lives and properties is the primary purpose of government.
“The fight against unbridled violenceisonewecannotaffordto loseaswecan’tdosoandstillkeep our civilisation. The symptoms of the malady afflicting our national security architecture are in plain sight. It is therefore imperative for the President and CommanderIn-chief of the Armed Forces to take a hard look at our national security architecture with a view to fixing the malady in order to secure lives, national pride and prestige,” he said.