Bukola Saraki
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has frowned at the recent cases of inconclusive elections in various states of the country, disclosing that the upper legislative chamber will produce a new and more comprehensive electoral amendment act before the end of 2016.
He stated this yesterday during a one-day retreat of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters where he hinted that Nigerians living abroad may be accommodated in new electoral amendments.
Saraki further stated that lawmakers may review the role of security agencies in the conduct of elections as part of the ways of checking their excesses.
According to him, “For so long now, our citizens in the Daspora 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.
“This is similar to the now germane issue of the voting opportunity of IDPs and people living in severely challenged hard to reach areas either due to security or other unforeseen challenges.”
While speaking on the role of security agencies in elections, he said: “It will be important to take another look at the role of our security personnel from the Police, to the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Military.
“This is especially so in the light of certain revelations to the effect that the previous government had signed into law, an amendment to the Electoral Act empowering the military to be used during elections for a variety of reasons.
“It should be borne in mind that the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2015 had, in fact, made far-reaching amendments on the role of the police before and during elections especially the issue of holding of rallies and meetings by political parties (section 94) and the role and operational deployment of the Armed Forces during elections (section 29).
“These provisions were designed as an attempt to ensure the democratic character of free and fair elections,” Saraki added.
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