Electoral Act 2022: Nigerians React, Reform Still Needed In Electoral Process

Reactions have begun to trail the presidential assent to the Electoral Act 2022.

Nigerians and members of the Civil Societies Organisations have praised the president for signing the much-awaited Electoral Amendment Law.

President Muhammadu Buhari assented the bill on Friday, February 25, 2022, after several delays and amendments by the National Assembly.

Expressing excitement at the assent, citizens they revealed that they hoped members of the public would take advantage of the initiative.

Acknowledging that the Nigerian electoral process is still in the reformation process, young people and women were called on to take advantage of the act and maximise the law to their advantage.

Emmanuel Olowu, a rights activist stated that he hoped with the assent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can carry out its job and Nigerians would be encouraged to vote since there will be electronic transmission of results.

He expressed optimism that the level of electoral fraud, manipulations and violence would be reduced since provisions in the act have been created to take care of such.

"With this assent, the Electoral Act 2010 has been repealed. Nigeria is now working with this new one.

"Many misconceptions, misunderstandings would be dealt with.

"Electronic voting, electronic transmission of results, use of card readers and other technological devices in elections and party primaries word be allowed."

Kola Oduyemi, convener of My Vote Nigeria also added that with the Electoral Act 2022, elections can not hold where card readers did not function.

He noted that with the inclusion of electronic means of voting, INEC officials do not have to travel long distances with result sheets from their polling units, wards, local governments to the state collation centres before results can be transmitted.

"Results would be sent instantly to the nearest collation centres through electronic means.

"For this to happen, card readers must be functional or else election in such areas would be postponed."

Oduyemi who stated that the National Assembly should be given kudos for embarking on genuine reform of the electoral system hinted that more still needed to be done as the process was not yet perfected in Nigeria.