Uduaghan wants to Buhari to assent to Electoral Act amendment Bill

Moses Oyediran, Enugu

Former Governor of Delta state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act which the National Assembly recently amended.

Uduaghan made the appeal Tuesday at the University of Nigeria Nsukka annual public lecture titled: “Making Nigeria’s elections cleaner, transperant and credible.”

According to him, the amended Electoral Act will curtail electoral fraud and violence in future elections in the country.

“Signing the Electoral Act as amended by the National Assembly will help reduce electoral fraud and violence in future elections.

The gradual release of funds to INEC for 2023 general elections should start by 2020 to enable the commission start preparation on time,” he said.

He said if there were more informed electorates, the rising culture of vote buying and violence would not have been prevalent as it were in the just concluded general elections.

“The argument that voters sell their votes because of hunger does not hold water, how much does the person who sells his or her vote gets.

“An enlightened electorates will not sell their votes because to do so means they are selling their future and have no right to demand for prudent and accountable government from those elected

“Unless there is serious voter education that make people aware of the harm in bargaining and selling their votes, the country’s democracy will not be deepen as wrong people will continue to win elections,” he said.

Uduaghan urged the Independent National electoral commission (INEC) to ensure that all electoral offenders In the just concluded general elections are arrested and prosecuted.

He noted that in order to get better elections in future, all those that violated electoral laws should be punished expeditiously to serve as a lesson to others.

“I am aware that many offenders In 2015 elections are still in court while others have not made court appearance, this should change.

“Setting up of election offences court has become overdue and should be set up as quickly as possible,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to Prof. Benjamin Ozumba the Vice chancellor of UNN and the institution’s management for granting him the opportunity to deliver the lecture as well as the cordial relationship that had existed between him and the university.

“I appreciate UNN’s management for instituting a chair in the faculty of social science in my name; I am humbled by this kind gesture I will continue to hold UNN in high esteem and partner with the university in further development of the university,” he said.