NASS Owes Nigerians Duty for INEC’s Independence, Says Nwaka

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Members of the National Assembly have been urged to reverse the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which tends to compromise the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A former chairman of the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Emma Nwaka, made the call in a chat with THISDAY, saying that the independence of the electoral umpire is constitutional and should not be tampered with.

He noted that the provisions in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 just passed by the National Assembly “whereby INEC is required to seek approval from the National Communication Commission and the National Assembly before it could decide on whether or not transmit election results electronically is antithetical to the clear provisions of the Constitution.”

Nwaka, who is a Third Republic senator, lamented that while other countries of the world were taking advantage of the advancement in technology to move their countries forward, Nigeria appears headed in the opposite direction.

He wondered why it’s possible to transfer millions of Naira to any and every part of Nigeria electronically and election results cannot be transmitted the same way.

However, Senator Nwaka lauded PDP National Assembly members “for stoutly opposing the retrogressive move which no doubt is intended to be used by APC to thwart the will of the people of Nigeria in future elections.”

He expressed confidence that the judiciary would be there to protect the independence of INEC and “strike down” any obnoxious legislation that is contrary to the constitutional provisions.

On Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s refusal to be lured into the ruling APC like some PDP governors, Nwaka commended him for “restating without equivocation his commitment to PDP”.

“By so doing, the governor did not only lay the ghost of the rumours that he was about to jump ship, he also demonstrated that he is a man of integrity who cannot bite the finger that fed him,” he said.

The former Abia PDP chairman said that he could not understand what ‘’the renegades” defecting to APC find “attractive in the ruling party that “has set Nigeria backwards in every measurable sphere of life”.

He therefore predicted that APC “will soon implode and all those jumping into the ruling party either to escape being held accountable for their crimes against the people or just to partake in the ongoing looting spree will have themselves to blame.”