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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has said that elections should be decided at the polling units and not in court rooms.
Abbas, who stated this, on Saturday, while addressing members at the last plenary for the year noted that rising cases of electoral contests been decided by the courts is undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
The speaker, while expressing concerns that the the trend, if not quickly checked could erode the legitimacy of political leaders, added that House recognizes the importance of electoral reforms in strengthening our democratic institutions.
According to him, the National Assembly has held a citizens town hall engagement to collate the views of the the citizens on the impending amendment of the Electoral Act.
He said : “Consequently, we took the initiative to take the lead in soliciting citizens’ input on the Electoral Act 2022 and recommendations on strengthening it to deliver more free and fair elections and reduce the judiciary’s influence on the electoral process.
“The outcomes of elections should be decided at the Polling Unit and not in a Court Room. The over-judicialisation of electoral outcomes has greatly undermined public confidence and could erode the legitimacy of political leadership if not quickly and adequately addressed.
