Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, senator representing Katsina
south, says political party defections undermine democracy and betray the will
of Nigerians who elect their leaders in good faith.
Dandutse spoke on Wednesday during plenary, as the senate
debated a bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and enact a new
Electoral Bill 2025.
He described the proposed amendment as “timely” and a
crucial step towards building a stronger, more credible, and inclusive
electoral system.
“This bill is timely and, for posterity reasons and for
better success in elections in Nigeria, we have to look at the very fundamental
issues that were left behind,” he said.
The senator said the new legislation must serve as a
comprehensive reform that strengthens democratic institutions and restores
public trust in the electoral process.
Dandutse argued that without clear laws to curb political
defections, the mandate and will of the people are being “betrayed”.
“You cannot be elected on a platform and then defect without
consequence. The mandate and the will of the people are being betrayed,” he
said.
He called on the senate to ensure the new law addresses this
issue decisively to protect the sanctity of the electoral mandate.
The lawmaker also proposed that all elections in Nigeria —
presidential, governorship, and legislative — be conducted on the same day to
reduce costs and enhance credibility.
“If, as lawmakers, we want this thing to work responsibly
and efficiently and even to save cost for the country, it is very important to
hold all the elections of various offices in one day,” he said.
Dandutse further urged that local government elections be
conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rather than
state electoral commissions.
He said doing so would “restore credibility at the
grassroots where the foundation of democracy should begin”.
The senator also called for a reduction in the number of
political parties in the country, arguing that many registered parties “exist
only on paper” and “create confusion in the electoral process”.
“The number of political parties in Nigeria is a lot. In
this electoral reform, it should not be more than 10,” he said.
Dandutse urged his colleagues to examine every clause of the
proposed bill carefully, thereby restoring confidence in Nigeria’s democracy
and strengthening the nation’s global reputation.
“As leaders, if we want to restore the confidence of
Nigerians and the dignity of our democracy in the international fora, we must
look into these issues clause by clause,” he said.
He added that a credible electoral reform will “make Nigeria
greater for the better and for the yet unborn generation”.
After extensive debates by senators, the bill passed second
reading.
The proposed amendments include compulsory electronic
voting, mandatory electronic transmission of results, early voting for
essential workers, and the replacement of the permanent voter card (PVC) with
alternative identification such as the national identification number (NIN) and
passport.
The amendments also include provisions for diaspora voting,
the creation of an electoral offences commission, and enhanced independence for
INEC.
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