Assent to amended Electoral Act now, International observer group tells Buhari

An International Election Observer group, Pan African Women (PAN) project, that monitored the general elections in Nigeria has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the amended Electoral Act.

The Publicity Secretary of PAN project 2019, Mphoentle Keitseng, who monitored Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom made the appeal during an interactive session with journalists in Uyo on Wednesday.

According to her, the electoral bill will help to facilitate and regulate proper conduct of subsequent elections in the country.

She noted with dismay that the just concluded governorship and House of Assembly elections were marred with irregularities such as vote buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation, thuggery and disruption of voting process.

Ms Keitseng harped on the need to review the electoral act in order to help strengthen the electoral process.

She called on the federal government to create an election tribunal in order to prosecute offenders of the electoral processes.

Ms Keitseng decried the heavy presence of military personnel in polling units which, she observed, was scaring voters.

She advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve on the arrival of materials and election kick off at the gubernatorial and state of assembly elections.

“We commend the transparent and credibility exhibited by INEC in Akwa Ibom in conducting free, fair Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/State House of Assembly elections,” she said.

Ms Keitseng also advised INEC to recruit ad-hoc staff who are above 30 years of age for sensitive positions as polling officers because many polling officials who were young lacked the maturity to take decisions on time, especially where violence erupted.