Audio Attached: Group urges NASS to conclude all alterations to constitution, electoral act ahead of 2019 elections

NAN-H-79

Election

By Angela Atabo

Abuja, July 11, 2017 (NAN) Situation Room, a group of Civil Society Organizations (CSO), has urged the National Assembly to conclude all alterations to the constitution and amendments to the Electoral Act and straighten out the appropriate laws ahead of the 2019 elections.

Mr Festus Okoye, the Coordinator of Human Rights Monitor, a member of the group, made the call in a lecture titled:  “Challenges of Election Petition Tribunals and the Implications on the Elections’’, which he delivered at the unveiling of a compendium on the 2015 elections.

Okoye said that 560 petitions were filed at different election tribunals in the country from the 2015 General Elections and reviewed to enrich the electoral process and help prevent a repeat.
Cue in audio (Okoye)

“The time has come for the National Assembly to conclude all alterations to the constitutions and all amendments to the Electoral Act so that as we move into the 2019 elections, the law would be settled and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) can plan on the laws they know of and the lawyers can also plan on the laws they know of and judges can begin to read the electoral act and the constitution.

“To become abreast of some of the issues and some of the challenges arising from election petitions decided in the past and what new challenges may likely arise.

“So I think that this compendium will enrich our knowledge of the electoral process and also decode some of the hidden facts relating to election petitions, especially for those who are not knowledgeable in the law.’’

Cue out audio

Okoye spoke of the need to make section 285 of the constitution relating to the time for filing election petitions and disposal of election petitions slightly flexible by reviewing the 180 days within which to settle cases as provided by law.

He also spoke of the need to train judges on how to handle election petitions.

Unveiling the compendium, Mrs Esther Uzoma, National Coordinator, Proactive Gender Initiatives, said in spite of the positive developments and achievements recorded, some notable challenges still existed.

Uzoma, a member of the organization, said that some of the challenges manifested in the nature of petitions arising from the conduct of the elections and the decisions reached by the courts on the case.

“The compendium underscores the reasons provided by the courts for their decisions on the petitions,’’ she said.

Earlier, Ms Catherine Angai, one of the coordinators of Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), said the report was compiled with support from the society to enhance electoral justice in general and deepen the democratic process.
Angai added that Nigeria needed to concentrate on important issues of electoral justice in the electoral process to strengthen democracy.

She said the recommendations on how to further improve the electoral process in the country in terms of performance by INEC, judiciary, politicians, political parties and the legal framework would help Nigeria greatly.
Earlier, Mr Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and Convener of the event, said the cases in the compendium did not include fresh cases from current elections.

Nwankwo said that the biggest problem that gave rise to some of the petitions was the lack of internal democracy within the political parties.

He said, “So we see a lot of petitions rising due to failure of the parties to follow due process and failure to produce the right or popular candidates to help them win elections.’’ (NAN)

ATAB/DOR/YEE

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Edited by Nyisom Dore/Emmanuel Yashim