2023: Amended Electoral Act Best for Free, Fair Polls, Says Peller

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

A member of the House of Representatives for Iseyin/ Itesiwaju/Kajola/ Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Hon. Shina Peller, yesterday, said the 2023 general elections would be historical with the coming into force of the amended new Electoral Act, 2022. 

Peller said that Nigerians would experience the most peaceful election that would be free from rigging and electoral violence.

The federal lawmaker who was speaking in Iseyin at two events to mark the 25th remembrance of his father, Professor Moshood Peller, lecture/prayers and final of Peller Unity Cup, Season 2, noted that the amended electoral act that has been signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, would make it difficult for politicians to rig elections in 2023. 

Dignitaries at the event included the Oni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi who was represented by the Asoya of Isoya, Oba Muraina Adedini; the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi; the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Bahago who was represented by Mr. Farouk Musa, and Onigboho of Igboho, Oba John Bolarinwa.

Others are a Business Mogul, Mr. Ibrahim Dende, and a prominent Islamic Preacher, Sheik Muideen Bello, who led other Islamic clerics.

Peller, who is contesting the Oyo North Senatorial district election under Accord Party, insisted that the amended electoral act is already promoting free and fair election devoid of violence, stating that it will help to reduce violence in 2023 contrary to what was experienced in previous elections.

He added that it is very important for Nigerians to work together to give the country the best leadership in 2023.

According to him, “the Electoral Act that we have now, that is the amended electoral act, is already promoting free and fair election devoid of violence because where you witness violence in election is when people want to carry or snatch ballot boxes and this time around, due to electronic transmission of results, it will be very difficult.

“I believed that it will reduce violence and also people themselves should see that it is time for us to do things right this time around in 2023. We must look beyond ‘top to bottom,’ because ‘top to bottom’ in Nigeria is a disaster.

“Everybody should wake up and understand that if you have good candidate across 19 political parties as electorate we should try as much as possible to give them the opportunity to bring the best.

“It is very important for us as citizens to work together to give Nigeria the best leadership that the country requires. God has created Nigeria with so many resources, both human and natural resources but it is unfortunate that these resources are not translating to best result basically because we have bad leaders.

“And the only time we have the opportunity to address the leadership of our country is when the country is transiting especially during election year which is going to happen in 2023.

“So, it is everybody’s responsibility, God will not come down from heaven to rebuild Nigeria for us. Nobody will come from outside to do this for us, we can only get this done during the election period and if the electorate, we begin to speak to ourselves that it is time for us to look at character and competence, then everybody will work together and elect great leaders.”