The National Assembly yesterday said it will pass the 2019 Electoral Act for the conduct of the general election this year, saying this will go a long way in helping to correct shortcomings of provisions of 2010 Electoral act as amended in 2015 before full blown politics ahead of 2019 set in.The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who disclosed this while declaring open an interactive session among stakeholders in the electoral process on strategy for the review of Electoral Act 2010 organized by the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), added that the late passage of the Act before the 2015 elections, prevented the 7th National Assembly from carrying out the needed electoral reform.
"We must conclude the amendment of the 2015 electoral act by the end of the year. My view is that politics starts early now, let us carry out the amendment in areas we all agreed on, as quickly as possible before 2019 politicking sets in", Saraki said.
He raised concerns over the increasing spate of inconclusive elections carried out by INEC in recent times, saying it has led to growing anxiety in the land particularly amongst electorates and affected party candidates.
He canvassed for inclusion of Nigerians in Diaspora in future electoral process, clear cut roles of security agencies, saying "For so long now, our citizens in the Diaspora have demanded inclusion in the democratic process; a right afforded in many other countries to citizens irrespective of location; and this current government agrees with them.
"Other important issues this retreat will be expected to deliberate on and come up with a clear direction for the Senate would include, the issue of the card reader and the desirability or otherwise of using the card reader exclusively for accreditation and voting in our electoral process" he said.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike EKweremadu, in his own submission, strongly advocated for early, direct and staggered primaries by all political parties.
According to him, late conduct of primaries by political parties owing mainly to constitutional restrictions posed serious challenges to the electoral system, while the parties’ penchant for indirect primaries had undermined internal democracy in the political parties.
Stressing the need for Nigeria to learn from international best practices, he said: "In the United States of America (USA), presidential primaries for presidential candidates start about twelve months to the election, culminating in the convention, which is usually a celebration of an already known candidate of the party".
Contributing, the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, advocated the need for an amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act with a view to ensuring that candidates whose elections are nullified as a result of improper nominations by their candidates should have their certificates re-issued to the runners-up.
He said doing so would save the nation the huge cost of conducting fresh elections in such circumstances.
He also tasked the committee to ensure the inclusion of card readers in the Electoral Act ahead of the conduct of the next general election adding that such provision should cover the use of other forms of technology to enable INEC have the full fledged power to deploy any technological innovation it deems fit without any legal hindrance.
"We must conclude the amendment of the 2015 electoral act by the end of the year. My view is that politics starts early now, let us carry out the amendment in areas we all agreed on, as quickly as possible before 2019 politicking sets in", Saraki said.
He raised concerns over the increasing spate of inconclusive elections carried out by INEC in recent times, saying it has led to growing anxiety in the land particularly amongst electorates and affected party candidates.
He canvassed for inclusion of Nigerians in Diaspora in future electoral process, clear cut roles of security agencies, saying "For so long now, our citizens in the Diaspora have demanded inclusion in the democratic process; a right afforded in many other countries to citizens irrespective of location; and this current government agrees with them.
"Other important issues this retreat will be expected to deliberate on and come up with a clear direction for the Senate would include, the issue of the card reader and the desirability or otherwise of using the card reader exclusively for accreditation and voting in our electoral process" he said.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike EKweremadu, in his own submission, strongly advocated for early, direct and staggered primaries by all political parties.
According to him, late conduct of primaries by political parties owing mainly to constitutional restrictions posed serious challenges to the electoral system, while the parties’ penchant for indirect primaries had undermined internal democracy in the political parties.
Stressing the need for Nigeria to learn from international best practices, he said: "In the United States of America (USA), presidential primaries for presidential candidates start about twelve months to the election, culminating in the convention, which is usually a celebration of an already known candidate of the party".
Contributing, the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, advocated the need for an amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act with a view to ensuring that candidates whose elections are nullified as a result of improper nominations by their candidates should have their certificates re-issued to the runners-up.
He said doing so would save the nation the huge cost of conducting fresh elections in such circumstances.
He also tasked the committee to ensure the inclusion of card readers in the Electoral Act ahead of the conduct of the next general election adding that such provision should cover the use of other forms of technology to enable INEC have the full fledged power to deploy any technological innovation it deems fit without any legal hindrance.
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