By Ehichioya Steve Odion
The bill before the National Assembly for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct all elections in one day in Nigeria is a laudable one
I make bold to say it is very feasible, achievable and it will equally reduce the cost of organizing elections in the country.
The money wasted in conducting elections on different days can be channelled to other sectors of the economy.
Therefore, the bill that will ensure that all elections are held one day which includes presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State houses of Assembly elections that is presently before the House of Representatives should be supported by all well meaning Nigerians. There are more advantages if the bill scales through. This is a clarion call for all to support the bill.
Apart from reducing the financial burden it will also reduce the stress in deploying adhoc staff of the electoral body to continue with the same process after two weeks of conducting the presidential and National Assembly elections - to again continue with the conduct of the governorship and State Houses of Assembly.
It will also reduce rigging at the state level which has become rampant in the states where governorship election does not taking place at the same period.
We have seen many governors using the state apparatus to intimidate and suppress oppositions during the election in order to gain more grand and win more constituents for their party.
It is high time we embraced any system that will enhance good governance in the country which will in turn bring the dividends of democracy to the people, instead of continuing to live with the old order which has not done any good to the electorate.
It will also help Nigerians to vote their minds across board and elect credible individuals amongst the candidates contesting the elections, instead of imposing candidates on the people through open intimidation and harassment.
I usually feel bad and worried whenever I see National Assembly members not supporting a popular bill that will benefit Nigerians. I begin to wonder if such members in the house are actually genuinely representing their constituents interest. This kind of beneficial bill should be given all the necessary support to scale through and passed into law without unnecessary delay.
I have no doubt in my mind that majority of Nigerian will wholeheartedly embrace and welcome this bill with all their minds as we await the lawmakers to prove that they are good representatives of the people.
This kind of bill will also put many politicians on their toes knowing full well that it will no longer be business as usual since the contestants will now fight to win their various elections on the voting day without relying on another tiers of government to assist them. It will be an open fight for the President, Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly members battling to secure victory for themselves while the electorate also have the opportunity to exercise their electoral rights in their own ways.
Such bill will equally discourage those who have no knowledge of legislative activities to stay clear of such contest and give way to those qualified and serious minded ones to take their positions. The truth is that there are many people who ordinarily have no business going to legislative houses, but the fact that many of them have a way to manipulate voters, with the support of the weak process of INEC, many unqualified persons find their way to the legislative chambers.
Once again, I'm calling on the civil society groups, religious groups, artisans and all well meaning Nigerians to rise up to this occasion and speak with once voice to support this bill in totality so that we can start working towards having a country that is truly working.
I can assure you that when proper electoral system is put in place, it will definitely encourage many people to embrace the exercise to vote and discourage voting apathy which is now the order of the day in the election cycle. This is not good for our nascent democracy.
Let's do the right thing as we wait to see a better country for us all. Waiting for politicians to do it will be a mirage. Therefore, let us continue to speak and put pressure on the political actors to always support what is right for a better Nigeria.
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