Parties want new electoral law for 2019 polls

Registered political parties under the aegis of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have called for the repeal of the 2010 Electoral Act and the evolution of brand new of electoral laws for the 2019 General Elections.

Chairman of IPAC and national chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) Dr. Yunusa Tanko made the call yesterday in Lagos at the twoday Stakeholders workshop on Media and the 2015 Elections organised by the Democratic Governance for Development ( DGD II) project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

He said the existing electoral laws was not all inclusive when it was being worked out hence the many loopholes inherent in it.

“Knowing that amendments are usually not the best options especially in this situation, we are calling for repeal of the electoral act due to the flaws that are having negative effects on the nation’s democracy and good governance. The present law did not have the inputs of the critical stakeholders including parties hence it was design to favour one party at the expense of the collective democratic interests. For instance, the issue of defections across party lines is too serious not to have been clearly spelt out in the electoral laws,” Tanko said.

He added that they are making the call now so that all angles would be taken care of before the coming 2019 General Elections.

Also speaking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos state, Akin Orebiyi, disclosed that the Commission’s Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega is set to retire alongside seven national commissioners and 16 RECs this month.

Orebiyi who said the commission could not fulfil some of its promises to the electorate expressed hope of a better electoral process ahead of the 2019 elections.