May 25, (THEWILL) – A civil society group, the United Action for Change, has called for a concerted effort by the relevant authorities and interested groups to ensure that political stakeholders and the general public are educated about the new Electoral Act 2022, in order to provide a hitch-free general election in 2023.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Secretary of the group, Michael Popoola Ajayi, at the end of its periodic roundtable discussion held in Lagos.
Speaking at the event themed, ‘An Overview and Exposition on the Electoral Act, 2022,’, the convener of UAC, who was also the moderator of the roundtable discussion, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), said, “With the level of political ignorance in the society and what the country has faced over the years due to inappropriate information about electoral laws, it is sacrosanct that the political stakeholders, the electorate and the public at large are rightly informed, properly educated and well enlightened about the details of the new electoral act and be on the same page with relevant authorities saddled with the responsibilities of regulating the electoral process.
“An Electoral Act constitutes the bedrock of the electoral process. Therefore, any development that occurs in that regard must be adequately disseminated to the people. The current issue becomes more critical when the majority of the political stakeholders are not even well informed about the new development.
“This event is designed to enable us as members of the UAC to be familiar with the new act and afterwards move to the streets, as part of our statutory duties to educate the larger society in all forms.”
The lead discussant at the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, in his very interactive presentation, while highlighting the importance of the new act and its relevance in ensuring the sustainably of the Nigerian democratic governance, dwelled extensively on the reasons for the people to be well informed about the new electoral act.
He said, “Voters and civil education is a multi-stakeholder responsibility. Therefore all hands must be on deck to ensure that the public is adequately informed. The main reason why democracy is chosen over other forms of government is the periodic opportunity for the people to choose their leaders and the opportunity to make rational choices. But what level of rational choice do you want people to make in the face of literacy and the ravaging poverty? That is why education is sacrosanct.
“The choice of topic is not only apt, but also it is of great importance to the forthcoming election. Election provides vertical accountability, it is the bedrock of democracy. Therefore, elections must be free, fair and devoid of any manipulation. A rigged or compromised election is equal to equal to absence of election.”
Speaking on the key stakeholders who are on the drivers’ seat in having credible elections, Igini said; the roles of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), the Judiciary, the political parties and their candidates, the security agents, civil society organisations and the media are sacred and should not be compromised.
“There is great ignorance in the land, the bar and the bench have great roles to play in entrenching the beauty of democracy, they must ensure that this system must not fail. They have a sacred role in upholding the rule of law. And they must educate their members and the general public accordingly. So also the media, there should be no biased reportage, the press should continually uphold the ethics of the profession,” he said.
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