US Summit for Democracy: 35 CSOs urge President Buhari to sign Electoral Act Amendment Bill into Law
ABUJA, NIGERIA. December 14, 2021… Ahead of the United States Summit for Democracy and the Nigeria 2023 General Elections, a coalition of thirty-five (35) leading Civil Society Organisations have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the recently passed Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 into law even as they called on the United States Government to make human rights the centerpiece of United States foreign relations with Nigeria.
Drawn from pro-democracy, human rights, anti-corruption, environmental, Faith Based, Youth and Women groups, the 35 Civil Society Organisations welcomed the Biden-Harris Administration’s Summit for Democracy for leaders of governments, civil society and private sector to set forth an “affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action”
The Group led by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Canada Africa Partnership Network, YIAGA Africa, PEN America, ONE Campaign (Nigeria) among others also wants the Federal Government of Nigeria to support all efforts geared towards peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.
They also called on the government to “ensure the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians including by refraining from the lengthy deployment of the Nigerian military for internal security/law enforcement purposes within the country.
“Protect democratic institutions including the Judiciary and investigate all attacks on judicial officers in the country.
“Respect the rule of law including by implementing orders and judgments of domestic and international courts and mechanisms.
“Ensure the independence of the state assemblies and local governments from their control by governors nationwide by ensuring that federal allocations are released directly to the state assemblies and local governments as required by the constitution and also ensure that all governor-appointed illegal caretaker local governments are immediately replaced with elected councils, as also required by the Constitution,” among other demands.
On respecting and promotion of human rights, the group also called on the Federal Government to “guarantee the protection of human rights defenders, whistleblowers and witnesses of human rights violations and investigate all allegations of reprisals against them.
“Implement the findings of the Judicial Panels of Inquiry investigating the human rights abuses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and the attacks by the security agents during the ENDSARS protests and ensure prosecution of erring officers as well as payment of reparations to the victims.
“Support a free press and rescind all punitive sanctions of the government against media organizations in order to encourage open dialogue with citizens and civil society through social and mass media.
“Support free access to the internet and telecommunication service, and rescind all internet shutdowns in the country including the Twitter ban,” among several others
They urged the US government to Sustain and strengthen the practice of implementing sanctions including travel bans against Nigerian officials guilty of electoral malpractices and abuse of office.
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