The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should assent to the Electoral Bill 2022 on or before February 22 2022 in the best interest of electoral democracy in Nigeria, Yiaga Africa said on Thursday.
The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja.
According to him, if the President gives assent to the Bill on or before February 22nd, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission would be legally bound to issue a Notice of Election and the dates for the 2023 elections would be maintained.
He however said if the president acts on the bill after February 22, 2022, the dates for the 2023 election and other subsequent electoral activities would be affected.
Itodo said, “What is the deadline for INEC to issue the notice of election for the 2023 election in the Electoral Bill 2022?
“According to Section 28 (1) of the Electoral Bill 2022, INEC is required to issue a notice of election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election. According to INEC, the scheduled date for the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election is February 18, 2023.
“In line with the Electoral Bill 2022, the deadline for INEC to issue the notice of election for the 2023 general election will be February 22, 2022, and not February 18, 2022, reasons being that the total number of days from February 22, 2022, to February 17, 2023, is 360 days.
“The Electoral Bill 2022 was transmitted to the President for assent on January 31, 2022. By virtue of S.58(4) of the 1999 constitution, the President has a timeline of 30 days to give or decline assent to the Bill.
“In other words, the President has up to March 2 2022 to indicate where he stands on the bill.
“If the President gives assent to the Bill on or before February 22, 2022, INEC will be legally bound to issue Notice of Election, and the dates for the 2023 elections will be maintained.
“However, if the President acts on the bill after February 22 2022, the dates for the 2023 election and other subsequent electoral activities will be affected.
“Granting Presidential assent to the Electoral Bill, 2022, on or before February 22, 2022, is in the best interest of our electoral democracy.”
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