APC Chieftain Commends Buhari over Bill Signing

A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said the Electoral Act, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, would enhance transparency in the election.

He communicated this in a system issued in Abuja Yesterday. He noted that the move by the President would enable Nigerians to exercise their civic “franchise through a transparent electoral system that reflects their will.

The presidential candidate in 2019 and a global energy executive noted, “The Act contains provisions aimed at making elections more transparent and making the votes of the people count.

“Having credible elections that reflect the will of the people has been an important challenge of Nigeria since the return to Democracy in 1999.

“Elections were massively rigged in 2003 and 2007. Towards 2011 a slow process of electoral reform started that saw some significant improvement in 2015 which sadly relapsed in 2019.

“The effect of public perception that the electoral system is not clean has for long been increasing voters apathy in our country. The credible periodic election is a hallmark of democracy, and it is the vehicle of expression of the sovereignty of the people’s will.”

The chieftain explained that “democracy is not simply about building roads, providing electricity, water and police service. Efficient and benevolent authoritarian regimes sometimes perform those services better. Essentially, democracy is about the right of the people to choose who governs them through a transparent electoral system that reflects their will.

“Credit for the signed law must be given to the relentless pursuit of Nigerian people of higher Ideals of democracy expressed through the work of various civil society organisations and the media who worked hard for the ACT, the National Assembly that conveyed the wishes of the people and president who has written his name in gold by giving assent…”