The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Nigerians, particularly Civil Society Organisations, on President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, also saluted the courage of the PDP and other opposition members in the National Assembly for standing their ground on the passage of the Act.
Ologunagba said that the newly signed Electoral Act, among other things, principally provided for the electronic transmission of election results directly from the polling units.
This, according to the party, is a death knell to manipulations, ballot box snatching, ballot box stuffing and alteration of election results at the collation centres against the expressed will of the people.
The PDP said that the signing of the new Electoral Act clearly signposts the inevitable triumph of the will and aspiration of the people in 2023 through a process that ensures that votes cast at the polling units count.
“The PDP calls on Nigerians not to rest on their oars but to further strengthen their resolve by rallying themselves to take charge of their polling units.
“They should ensure that their votes are transparently counted and transmitted in the 2023 general elections.
“Our Party therefore charges Nigerians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be at alert and resist all shenanigans ahead of the 2023 elections.”
The party commended the International Community for standing on the side of democracy in Nigeria