Mandatory voting: Okechukwu tasks Reps to adopt good laws in Uwais Report
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VoN), Osita Okechukwu, has commended the House of Representatives for acting on the concerns that low voter turn out undermines electoral legitimacy, judiciary and weaken democratic institutions.
However, he condemned making bad laws for the victims of electoral malpractices.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, he stated that the greatest number of Nigerians are the victims of electoral malpractices, opaque judiciary and attendant bad governance; therefore it will be double jeopardy to punish them for the electoral malpractices which discouraged them and recession of democracy which the leaders simulated.
The House of Representatives (HOR) recently proposed a Bill titled, “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make It Mandatory for all Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters” sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Whereby the co-sponsor, Daniel Asama representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, stated interalia, “Voting is not only the right, but a civic responsibility. For global precedents, several democracies, including Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, for instance, have adopted mandatory voting for the positive outcomes in terms of political participation and public accountability. For electoral apathy and voter inducement, mandatory voting can significantly reduce the influence of vote buying as more citizens vote.”
Okechukwu maintained that the only politically correct antidote to halt electoral malpractices, opaque judiciary and restore electoral legitimacy and strong democratic institutions is to adopt good laws therein Uwais Report like the Public Nomination of both National and State Electoral Commissioners, to attract seamless mass voting.
He noted that Albert Einstein’s admonition that if one continues to do one thing all over and expect better results it is nothing but insanity.
“Therefore, it is arrant fallacy to assume that BIVAS and other digital technologies will guarantee free, fair and transparent elections when Mr Osita Okechukwu or whosoever is allowed to nominate his cronies, family and party members to manage our electoral system,” Okechukwu said.
“May I commend Honourable Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Honourable Members for sharing our concern over poor turnout of voters, opaque judiciary and recession of democracy in our clime and appeal to him to adopt the fine tenet of Uwais Report that mandates Nigerians to nominate National and State Electoral Commissioners.
“Permit me as well to state that there is no time more auspicious for our great party, the APC to consolidate the legitimacy of our democracy and put Nigeria top in the map of the world than now; when we have a true democrat as president, control more than 20 States, the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly of our dear country.”
“No excuse, if for nothing else there is no better time to recover the legitimacy of our democracy, fulfill the noble intendment and immortalise our famous democrat, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, of blessed memory, who patriotically admitted that the electoral process which made him president was flawed than now we are in charge.
“And there is no doubt that if he had outlived his tenure he could have implemented the fine grains of Uwais Report,” Okechukwu retorted.
