By Our Reporter
A Professor of International Law and Global Politics, Jehu Nnaji says a conscientious alteration of the Electoral Act will boost the confidence of Nigerians in future elections.
Nnaji disclosed this on Wednesday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on issues of national importance.
He applauded the various attempts made in the past by the National Assembly (NASS), especially, the 8thNASS to alter some sections of the Electoral Act.
He however, said that it was unfortunate that no meaningful outcome emerged from the last attempt to amend the document as it could not get presidential assent.
He appealed to the current members of the NASS to make good their promise of bequeathing to the country a more suitable electoral act
The visiting scholar, University of Kansas Law School, USA urged the NASS to also act proactively.
“I recall that the 8th Assembly altered some sections of the Electoral Act and the president withheld his assent on the grounds that the period was close to the 2019 general elections.
“If those alterations were considered to be useful additions and or subtractions, then it it difficult to understand why those amendments have not taken place,” he said.
On the moves to alter some provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Nnaji appealed to the NASS to use the exercise to address the clogs in the security architecture of the country.
The don said that he was an ardent advocate of state police in spite of the raging debates for and against state policing.
He said that with the right approach, community or state police would not only be a means to create jobs but would also add impetus to the security architecture of the country.
“I have always subscribed to state police but it must not be at variance with what we already have in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“Elsewhere, there are police at the federal and regional or state levels. The federal police may be ineffective under the current circumstance we see ourselves,” he said.
Nnaji said that he was optimistic that the country would surmount It’s current sociopolitical challenges and emerge stronger.
