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Tunji-Ojo states that the bill on early votes will become the voters of disinfranchisementis
… while hosting the Senate Committee for the Army
The Minister of the Interior, dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo hosted Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, president of the Senate Committee for the Army and his delegation in a defense visit focused on early voting invoice, who tried to intertwine the security staff, electoral operators and other categories of the categories of Nigerians who have often excluded the participation of their general elections.
The minister praised Senator Yar’adua, describing him as “a brother, a friend and one of the brightest minds we have”. He also recognized the presence of the Senator team, of the representatives of civil society and the leadership of Yiaga Africa, praising their commitment to democratic reforms.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo stressed that the bill on early votes is a necessary and expired legislation that addresses long-standing issues of the voters’ disenfanchisement. “This bill is, in a certain sense, an accusation on all of us who have crossed the national assembly. Raise the question about how we didn’t think about it before?” He said, citing historical examples such as the government elections of the State of Nasarawa in 2011, where over 20,000 electoral days were unable to vote despite a margin of victory of only 4,425 votes.
The bill, as explained by the legislative and legal staff to Senator Yar’adua, proposes an amendment to the electoral law to allow the early vote at least seven days before the general elections. This would apply specifically to members of security agencies, Incen staff and other electoral workers who are lined up for the tasks of the election day.
Cynthia Mbamalu, director of Yiaga Africa programs, underlined the meaning of this reform for the democratic process of Nigeria. “The bill on early votes is a bold step towards the expansion of electoral participation and ensuring that those who ensure our elections are not denied the right to vote”, he observed. “Reflects our commitment to more inclusive democracy”.
The minister also asked for a broader speech on other marginalized groups, including prisoners pending trial. Noting that 70% of the population of Nigeria’s corrective structures are legally alleged innocent, did he ask: “Why should their constitutional voting right be denied?”
He urged that attention should now be to the extent that all interested parties are willing to go to ensure that this bill is approved and implemented, underlining that “any reasonable democrat should see the need for this without further persuasion”.
The session reiterated the commitments of the Ministry of the Interior, the Legislative Team of Senator and Africa Yiaga to collaborate and build ample support for the bill between the relevant institutions.
The bill on the early votes, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, tries to change the electoral law to allow eligible citizens who are unable to vote on the day of the elections due to official assignments, in particular the safety staff and the electoral staff to express their votes in advance. The initiative is designed to strengthen electoral inclusion, support democratic rights and improve the turnout.
