The former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill latest by the first quarter of 2021.
He made the appeal on Thursday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu appeared for his screening by the lawmakers following his reappointment as INEC chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He informed the senators that passing the piece of legislation within the timeframe recommended was critical for the success of the 2023 general elections.
The former INEC chief noted that the nation’s electoral body had submitted several areas for amendments in the Electoral Act.
He stressed that it was extremely important for the electoral legal framework to be finalised in due time, saying INEC cannot conduct elections under uncertainty.
Professor Yakubu, however, said INEC would continue to deepen the use of technology for elections and explore other ways in which the electoral process could benefit from technology.
He assured the lawmakers that the electoral umpire was working to ensure that materials needed for the elections were procured well ahead of time.
During the screening, the former INEC chief answered a series of questions from the lawmakers in a bid to return to the office he held for five years.
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