The United Action for Change, UAC, a pressure group committed to the advancement of social justice in Nigeria has berated the Lagos State House of Assembly for amending Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC Act within a day when local government election was 5 days away.
Addressing journalists today in Lagos, the national coordinator of UAC, Mr Niyi Akinsiju who was represented by the deputy national convener of the group, Mr Kunle Adegoke described the action of the legislators as legislative indecency of highest order.
The group alleged that the Assembly hurriedly in the middle of the game passed the “Law to allow APC to feature candidates in the Local Government elections coming up on Saturday the 22nd day of July, 2017, which is barely three days away”.
Adegoke wondered why an amended to an important law like electoral Act will passed through first, second, third readings within ten minuted without any prior notice to the public for submission of memoranda.
“The said bill passed through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd readings within 10 minutes and same was presented to the Governor for his assent immediately”, he said.
He continued, “The legislative process to amend the LASIEC Law came after the decision of the High Court of Lagos State nullifying the imposition of a candidate from Odi-Olowo Local Council Development Area.
“The legislative disregard for commonsense and the hurried primary election held in Odi-Olowo yesterday, the 18th July, came by despite the fact that the time for nomination of candidates had elapsed and no new primary elections can be held by a party already in default.
“The implication is that the amendment to the LASIEC Law carried out by the Lagos State House of Assembly was done to favour APC who had, by greed of some leaders of the party, nullified its own right to participate in the election”.
The group hailed the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, APC Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN who had consistently stood for equity and enthronement of internal democracy in the party.
Citing provisions under Article 20 of the APC Constitution 2014 which mandated primaries for all aspirants into elective offices, the group backed Banire for insisting that primaries must be conducted according to the APC constitution.
The group therefore condemned strongly what he tagged, sponsored protest against Banire for following the path of constitutionality.
Adegoke said, “The soulless rent-a-crowd rally by some miscreants within the party, All Progressives Congress, yesterday in Lagos State is another manifestation of political slavery propping its destructive dictator that is leading it to the slaughter slab.
“How on earth would genuine members of a party castigate the lone voice of reason of Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN who has been advocating internal democracy within the party? We were aware of the evil plot to hold the rally and Dr. Banire, SAN had on Monday, the 17th day of June, 2017 notified the general public of the evil machinations of these delinquents who are masquerading as the leaders of the party and imposing their candidates on the people without recourse to the feelings of the general members who have told them categorically that imposition of candidates is an anathema in a democracy.
He added that, “We were, therefore, not surprised to see them yesterday dancing naked in the market and parading in a completely inglorious show of self-immolation. We had warned of it and they proved us true.
“If the organisers of the failed rally were genuine members of APC they would know that no national officer of APC can be removed from office by mere protests and regurgitation of indecency”.
The group therefore warned those allegedly hell-bent on taking Banire out by any means to perish such thoughts stressing that all available lawful means will be used to repel such attacks.
