Electoral Bill: News of Buhari’s Alleged Rejection, A Hatchet Job, Say CSOs

Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have condemned fake news making the rounds over alleged rejection of Electoral Act Amendment Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari published by one of the national dailies.

The CSOs in a statement yesterday signed by Executive Director, Adopt A Goal for Development Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye; The Convener, Raising New Voices Initiative, Jude Feranmi; and Executive Director, Speak Out Africa Initiative, Kenneth Eze, described the news headline as a hatchet job, shameless and unfortunate to misinform Nigerians and mislead Mr President.

The organisations called on Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the Press Council, Nigerian Guild of Editors and the National Union of Journalists should investigate immediately the online blogs and Sun newspaper for the lie presented to the people as news.

The statement reads: “We woke up this morning to the FAKE NEWS HEADLINE by The Sun Newspapers which read “Buhari Rejects Electoral Bill”. This hatchet job carried out by some crooked persons to misinform Nigerians and mislead the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is shameless and unfortunate.

In an era where fake news continues to harm our society, cause chaos and hamper democracy, we are shocked that The Editorial Management of The Sun newspapers and some online news outlets would render their reputation and their platform to be used for this shoddy job.

We can authoritatively confirm that Mr President has not forwarded any letter rejecting the Electoral Amendment Bill to the National Assembly. The interview granted by one of the APC governors published as news and stating that Mr President has rejected the bill based on the phantom N500 billion costs of logistics for monitoring the direct primaries of political parties is a barefaced lie.

“While it is known to the people that some politicians are habitual liars to the public, have no integrity whatsoever and do not care about the public trust for the office which they occupy even when they attain such positions crookedly, an issue as dear to the heart of the Nigerian people as the Electoral Amendment Bill will not be allowed to be derailed by these kinds of politicians. We want Nigerians to ask Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, and Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina what they knew about this plot using the Daily Sun. We hope the President will be mindful of his integrity and who to associate with.”