Nigeria: Electoral Reforms - As Yar'Adua Puts Ball in National Assembly's Court

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Lagos — President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua last week forwarded seven bills to the National Assembly aimed at implementing the Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais Electoral Reforms Committee report. In two separate letters to the Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, all dated April 30, 2009, President Yar'Adua pleaded with the National Assembly to focus on "expeditious passage" of the bills in order to put the necessary framework for bringing sanity to the nation's electoral system. He requested that "the bills be treated distinctly from the more holistic ongoing constitutional review process."

The seven bills include: A bill for an Act to Amend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act Cap 15 LFN 2004 and Other Matters Connected Thereto; a bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and for Other Matters Connected Thereto; a bill for an Act to Establish the Electoral Offences Commission and for Other Matters Connected Thereto; a bill for an Act to Establish the Centre for Democratic Studies and Other Related Matters Thereto; a bill for an Act to Further Amend the Police Act 1967 CAP P19 2004 LFN and for Other Matters Connected Thereto; a bill for an Act to Establish the Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission and for Other Matters Connected Thereto; and a bill for an Act to Amend the Independent National Electoral Commission Act CAP 15 LFN 2004 and for Other Matters Connected Thereto.

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