The introduction of consensus option as one of the methods for the nomination of candidates seeking election into public offices contained in clause 84 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which the Senate approved today is generating controversies, as it is view as inimical to genuine democracy.
The Senate after the approval of consensus option said, “Today, as it stands, there is provision for all the possible options of selection of candidates from the presidency to the councillorship. The three options are Direct Primaries, Indirect Primaries and Consensus. This is one of our major pillars in our legislative agenda when we started in 2019. This is one thing that Nigerians are so interested in because it is one sure way of enhancing our electoral processes”.
But in a swift reactions, some Nigerians disagreed with the Senate as 13 civil society groups vehemently rejected the option, saying that it violates the principle of true a democracy.
The groups who vehemently rejected the option are: Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Citizens with Disability (CCD), The Albino Foundation, CLEEN Foundation, Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NNNGO), and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA).
The groups stated, “We reject the decision of the Senate to introduce a completely new mode of “consensus” as a procedure for candidates’ nomination,” the statement read. The consensus mode is antithetical to democratic principles and will result in the subversion of popular will. Furthermore, it violates the rights of aspirants to equal participation in party primaries and limits the choice of voters to candidates who did not emerge from democratic primary elections. Judging from experience, a consensus has occasioned a litany of litigations in Nigeria’s electoral process”.
The group, in a statement said, “The undersigned civil society groups commend the swift action taken by the National Assembly upon resumption to review its position on direct primaries as the sole mode for the nomination of candidates in the Electoral Bill 2021. At today’s plenary, the Senate and House of Representatives recommitted the Electoral Bill 2021 with the proposed amendment to Clause 84 dealing with the nomination of candidates. While the Senate voted for direct, indirect and consensus mode as a procedure for the nomination of candidates, the House of Representatives voted for the conduct of direct and indirect primaries as the acceptable mode of nomination of candidates”.
Asking the Senate to adopt the position of the House of Representatives which recognises direct and indirect primaries as the procedure for nomination of candidates, in line with the popular will of Nigerians, the group urged the National Assembly leadership to constitute a committee to harmonise the divergent positions of both chambers that have continued to delay the speedy conclusion of the process.
In one voice, they said, “We, therefore, call for the immediate withdrawal of this new introduction, which is alien to the original Electoral Bill 2021, to speed up the work of the harmonisation committee and conclusion of the amendment process on or before the 21 January 2022 deadline. As indicated in our earlier statement, any further delay will undermine public confidence in the reform process and, therefore, unacceptable”.
