Civil Society Groups Block National Assembly over Electoral Bill

Chuks Okocha

Civil Society Organisations yesterday made good their threats to stop legislative activities as they blocked the entrance to the National Assembly in Abuja.

Though their protest was peaceful, they were encircled by a combined team of police and men of the Department of the State Security (DSS).

The CSOs made vehicular movements in and out of the National Assembly difficult.

The situation made most of the national lawmakers, staff and visitors to use the alternative routes from the presidential villa and the route near the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to assess the National Assembly.

However, they were scattered by the early morning rain, but notwithstanding, the protesters, who carried several placards with inscriptions like ‘Who forged the draft electoral bill’; ‘You cannot rig 2023 general elections’; ‘You used electronic transmission of results in Edo and Ondo States, Why change it now?, among others, insisted that the election results must be transmitted electronically, as they made their views felt.

They argued that what is the rationale behind voting electronically in elections when the results will not be transmitted electronically?

The groups, under the aegis of Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for Expansion of Electoral and Democratic Space, consists of groups like Enough Is Enough, Yiaga Africa, Centre for Liberty, The Electoral Hub, among several others.

The spokesman of National Consultative Front, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, said the alleged final copy of the Electoral Amendment Bill, which they have reviewed, does not represent the interests of the Nigerian people.

According to him, “We, therefore, consider it a forged document that must not be substituted for our legitimate demands. The National Assembly should give us an electoral law that will stand the test of time in promoting credible elections.”

He called on the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to declare that they were not part of the alleged attempt to subvert the voices of Nigerians, as the 42 CSOs urged the people to stand up and resist any attempt to manipulate the approved version of Electoral Act Amendment Bill for selfish reasons.

Others who spoke at the entrance to the National Assembly urged the principal officers of Senate and House of Representatives to investigate how the controversial clause was inserted into the bill.

One of them, Barrister Okiki, said he joined the rally because he wants to contest election by 2023, and therefore cannot sit and watch a group of selfish politicians rig the elections before the actual commencement of the election.