Democracy Day: ADP urges Buhari to sign Electoral Amendment bill

The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, sign the 2018 Electoral Amendment bill into law.

The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Adelaja Adeoye, on Friday in Lagos, said assent to the bill would help strengthen the electoral system.

According to the party, the president will be giving honour to heroes of democracy, including the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 elections, MKO Abiola, by signing the bill to deepen democracy.

“June 12 was a struggle for the emancipation of the country from brutal dictators and those with power who never wanted opposition.

“So those who made our return to democracy possible must always be celebrated through the enhancement of our democratic space.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a matter of federal legislation, must be able to conduct free and fair elections that will be technology-driven.

“There must be seamless voting ,which must include e-voting and use of e-screening and transmission of results from polling units to central server to render snatching of ballot boxes useless,” the party said.

ADP also called on the president to step up actions to end killings by insurgents in the Northeast and bandits across the country.

“Nigerians voted for the president as a former military general on the strength that within few months of his ascension to power he would be able to crush all security threats in the country.

“But it is not too late to make it up to Nigerians in this regard,” it added.

ADP also cautioned the Federal Government against external borrowings especially as price of oil, the mainstay of the economy was plummeting.

It said repayment of such loans might be difficult with declining revenue and slowdown in economic activities caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

The party called on Nigerians to keep hope alive in the face of national challenges as they celebrate Democracy Day, urging them to remain resolute in their quest for a better country despite the present situation.