Electoral Act Amendment: Nigerians Must Speak Out Against Akpabio-Led Senate – Nwankwo
A public affairs analyst and civil society advocate, Nwankwo, has urged Nigerians to raise their voices against the Senate led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged moves to amend the Electoral Act in ways that could undermine credible elections.
Speaking on Monday, Nwankwo warned that any amendment to the Electoral Act that weakens transparency, electoral technology or citizens’ trust in the voting process should be resisted by Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious lines.
According to him, the Electoral Act remains one of the few safeguards protecting Nigeria’s democracy, and tampering with it for political convenience could reverse the modest gains recorded in recent elections.
“Nigerians must not be silent. The National Assembly, particularly the Akpabio-led Senate, must understand that the Electoral Act belongs to the people, not politicians,” he said.
Nwankwo accused the Senate of pursuing amendments that could dilute the use of technology in elections, weaken oversight of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and give undue advantage to the political elite.
He stressed that public pressure played a key role in the passage of the current Electoral Act and should again be deployed to prevent what he described as “backdoor manipulation” of the law.
The analyst further warned that failure to protect the integrity of the Electoral Act could fuel voter apathy, post-election disputes and political instability.
He therefore called on civil society organisations, youth groups, labour unions and the media to mobilise public opinion and demand transparency in the amendment process.
The Senate has yet to officially respond to the criticism, but lawmakers have maintained that any amendment to the Electoral Act would be carried out in the national interest.
The debate over possible changes to the Electoral Act comes amid growing concerns over electoral credibility ahead of future elections in the country.