INEC urges National Assembly to expedite passage of electoral laws

  

  The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has called on the National Assembly to pass laws guiding the conduct of elections in the country.

   Yakubu, according to INEC online newspaper, made the call when Steering Committee members of the Nigerian Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS), led by Its Chairman, Mr Aminu Shagari, visited the Commission on Friday in Abuja. He said that early passage of necessary legislation would give the Commission ample time to prepare for the 2019 general elections.

   He observed that since the next general polls were only 470 days away, the early passage of such electoral laws would assist the Commission in planning adequately. “As we approach the 2019 General Elections, there are a number of issues I think we can collaborate on with the NILS.

   “As we speak today, we have 470 days to the 2019 general elections. It is therefore urgent for the National Assembly to continue to expedite action on passing the appropriate legislations. ”This is key so that we have enough time between the time the law is finally assented to and the period before the conduct of elections,” Yakubu said.

   Shagari, who is also a Member of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, said the visit was to seek the Commission’s cooperation in building virile democratic institutions in the country through sustainable capacity building.