Constituents of Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal constituency in Abia state have hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for granting assent to the Electoral Act ( Amendment) Bill passed by the National Assembly.
While also expressing their Joy, the constituents applauded the 9th National Assembly, critical stakeholders and other Nigerians who remained resolute in their demand that Nigeria deserves a new Electoral law that will guarantee free, fair and peaceful polls in 2023 and beyond.
The constituents under the auspices of “Isuikwuato/Umunneochi justice and Equity Forum” rising from an emergency meeting following the signing of the bill by President Buhari, urged the electorates to ensure that they register and secure their permanent voters card , stressing that the new law will put an end to rigging and ensure that their votes count.
In a statement issued by the group’s director of Media and Publicity, Comr. Kalu Agbamuche, the group stated that the new Electoral Act reinstate confidence in the masses towards having free, fair, and peaceful elections in which people’s votes count.
According to Kalu the new act will empower the masses to stamp out what he described as “oligarchy Representation” in their constituency where an individual has continued to remain at the corridors of the National Assembly for over almost two decades thereby shutting out capable candidates from getting a chance to represent their constituency at the National Assembly.
Kalu emphasised that the new law will give the people a voice to ensure equity, balancing and justice in the distribution of powers, adding that finally after 16 years the clamour for Umunneochi to represent both local governments at the Nation’s Parliament will come to pass.
The statement read in parts; ” We received with great joy the signing of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022, passed by the National Assembly. We are rest assured that with signing of the new bill into law the will of the people will prevail come 2023. This is a new horizon in our Nation’s democratic system and we commend our dear President Buhari, the National Assembly and other critical stakeholders especially the civil society organisations who remained undaunted throughout the processing of the bill up until it’s final passage into law.
“It is gratifying to note that the current Bill comes with a great deal of improvement from the previous Electoral Bill 2021. There are salient and laudable provisions that will undoubtedly positively revolutionize elections in Nigeria through the introduction of new technological innovations. These innovations would guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens to vote and to do so effectively. It is on this note that we call on eligible voters to go out en-masse to register for their permanent voters card, come 2023 we shall ensure that we put an end to oligarchy Representatives who want to continue to remain in power despite their abysmal performance.
“For 16 years the people of Umunneochi have been shut out of the corridors of power by one person, in the spirit of fair play, brotherly love and peaceful co-existence, we urge the good people of Isuikwuato/ Umuneochi to ensure that for the sake of equity the people of Umunneochi should be supported to Representatives them at the National Assembly.