Electoral Act: Ijaw Youths Accuse Buhari Of Elevating Personal Interest Above National Interest

Foremost Ijaw youth group, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of elevating personal interest above national interest following his failure to assent to the Electoral Act, (amendment) after three attempts by the National Assembly.

IYC while rejecting and saying the the reasons advance by President Buhari for refusing to assent to the amendment were weak and unjustifiable, added that it is unpatriotic for the President not to sign the act.

The group’s President, Barr. Eric Omare in a statement on Sunday, said that contrary to President Buhari’s claim that signing the Electoral Act now would cause confusion in the electoral process, in actual act it is the refusal to sign the Electoral Act amendment into law that has caused confusion and would cause more confusion in the days to come. 

One of the innovations introduced by INEC under President Jonathan was the card reader, however, the courts could not enforce the non adherence to its usage because it was  not backed by the Electoral Act.

IYC said however that President Buhari who is a beneficiary of electoral reforms in Nigeria ought to support efforts at making the usage of card reader mandatory. 

‘President Buhari’s refusal to assent to the Electoral Act amendment is a big set back to electoral reforms in Nigeria and has eroded citizens and stakeholders confidence in the 2019 general elections. Nigeria is obviously back to the era of do or die politics.

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“This is a challenge to the national aasembly to protect the national interest.

“Therefore, the IYC call on the National Assembly to in line with the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, without delay override the Presidential assent and enact the Electoral Act into law.

“The national interest is over and above the interest of one individual or political party and must be protected”.