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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act Amendment bill earlier passed into law by the National Assembly .
He said that Nigerians can now be optimistic of having credible elections in 2023.
Ugochinyere who spoke to journalists in Owerri, Friday, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown patriotism and defended his oath of office by signing the bill into law after much pressure from the civil society .
He noted that the signing of the bill has wide implications for the democratic system of the country.
He submitted that the law which provides for electronic accreditation of voters and transmission of election results, will solve previous legal issues that had arisen in that regard.
Ugochinyere pointed out that the provision for early release of funds for elections and conclusion of party’s primaries six months before polls as another milestone achieved by the law.
“Granting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to review already declared election results, as well as affirming that number of accredited voters should be used to determine over-voting in an election as a part of the provision in the electoral Act Amendment will eliminate electoral fraud”.
He maintained that, “with such provisions, the days are gone when a candidate would do everything to be declared winner by all means, by electoral officers, because the umpire was not permitted to reverse itself.”
Ugochinyere submitted that INEC now has no reason not to deliver credible polls, with the newly signed law in place.
He however, insisted that Nigerians should not relent in ensuring that the provisions of the law are implemented and that security agencies allow for free and fair polls.
