FG Urged To Adopt Uwais Electoral Reform Report To Save Democracy

• Campaign for Democracy coalition calls for full adoption of Justice Muhammad Uwais Electoral Reform Committee report to enhance Nigeria’s electoral system
• The coalition emphasizes the need to address recent tribunal rulings and prioritize post-election petitions to protect the electoral process

Campaign for Democracy, a coalition, has called for the full adoption of the Justice Muhammad Uwais Electoral Reform Committee report, which recommended pathways that, if implemented, would improve the electoral system, emphasising strengthening legal frameworks and increasing the electoral body’s independence.

Comrade Bako Abdul Usman, National President of the Partnership for Issues-Based Campaign in Nigeria (PiCAN), speaking on behalf of other coalition members at a briefing in Kaduna, said democracy in Nigeria is under serious threat.

He said this in response to recent tribunal rulings across states, which sparked outrage in the North.

“The recent tribunal judgment on pre-election and election matters continues to expose INEC’s constitutional duty and responsibility as a regulatory institution on political parties,” he said. To save the electoral process, we hereby demand that the Justice Muhammad Uwais Electoral Reform Committee report be fully adopted, as it recommended pathways that, if implemented, will improve the entire electoral system.”

He stated that it is now more important than ever to have post-election petitions and litigation decided before a candidate is sworn in.

Nigeria can’t be surviving on debt at 63 years of Independence – Kalu

Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has expressed concern about Nigeria’s reliance on debt.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ dialogue on implementing Section 45 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act on Saturday in Lagos, Kalu said Nigeria needs to be self-sufficient and independent instead of relying on loans.

Kalu, represented by Mr Nalaraba Abubakar, Chairman House Committee on Loans and Debt Management, said past governments sustained budgets through loans but an approach he considered unsustainable, NAN reports.

He also said that compliance with the provisions of Section 45 of the FRA remains crucial to the banks and other financial institutions before lending to any government of the federation.