•Bugaje (left) and Tinubu
A former member of the House of Representatives, Usman Bugaje, has accused the All Progressives Congress government led by President Bola Tinubu of subverting the popular will of voters with the speedy assent to the amended electoral bill.
He, however, said that there would be repercussions.
“The executive arm, including the President himself, from the speed with which he signed that law, they are all an accomplice in subverting the electoral process of this country. They are all an accomplice in designing an electoral law that will facilitate rigging,” Bugaje said on Channels Television last night.
“They are all an accomplice in subverting the popular will of the people, and this thing that they have done is well noted, and there will be repercussions. I don’t know where it’s going come, but everywhere in the world where such things have happened, there have been very serious consequences, repercussions.
The former lawmaker, who is also the chairman of the Movement for Credible Elections, accused those against the will of voters of being “so obsessed with power” for the control of state treasury.
“These people cannot see the repercussions. They are so obsessed with power. They are so obsessed with the control that they now have for the state treasury and the way they dispense money the way they want.
“Nigerians are aware of who you are. This electoral law has shown who you are, and Nigerians are not going to take it lightly, and they are going to react,” he added.
Electoral Reforms
Bugaje said that members of the National Assembly insulted the intelligence of Nigerians by passing the amended electoral bill without including real-time electronic transmission of election results.
He advised them not to attempt to deceive Nigerians with “cosmetic” electoral reforms.
On the just-concluded elections in the Federal Capital Territory, the former NASS member said Nigerians had lost confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as nothing in the conduct of the exercise showed that things would get better.
‘We Need To Avoid Interference’
Tinubu signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law last Wednesday, following the passage of the bill by the National Assembly the previous day, after months of deliberations.
Tinubu signed the bill at the State House in the presence of top government officials, including the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Bugaje said the essence of democracy is to have very solid discussions committed to national development and nation-building, essential for the stability of the nation.
“It’s not as important as the history aspects of this. What is crucial is the fact that you manage the process to the extent there will be no confusion, no disenfranchisement of Nigerians, and that we are all going to see democracy flourish.
“No matter how good the system is, it’s managed by the people, promoted by the people, and the result is finalised by the people,” The President said.
On the debates over E-transmission of results, Tinubu stressed the “need to avoid glitches,” “interference,” and “unnecessary hacking in this age of computer inquisitiveness”.
