By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo 

A group of Northern Youths said that signing the Electoral Bill into law would’ve improve  intra party mechanism that give room for popular participation  in democracy.

This is as against the current delegates system that has become a manipulative tool, allegedly in the hands of Governors and the rich.

Convener ,Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Association,Murtala Abubakar, said that the statement credited to the Minister of Justice to the effect that ” if Buhari had signed the electoral act, it would have caused crisis in the country”  was deliberately made to use their collective fears for violence. 

He said in a statement that it was also,to justify an action that was carried out of selfish political consideration to perpetuate the over bearing dominance of  the state Governors over Nigeria ‘s party politics.

He alleged that , ” it is an open secret that the Governor’s forum used the Minister of Justice to cajole the President not to  sign the bill.”

“The opinion of many informed minds is that the new electoral bill that the President withheld assent to, could have given the country the opportunity to improve it’s intra party mechanism that gives room for popular participation as against the current delegates system that has become a manipulative tool in the hands of Governors and some Money bags.” 

“The assertion by the minister is far from the truth as the failure of the President to sign the bill as many anticipated,  represented another missed opportunity by the current administration to improve our electoral system aimed at deepening our democratic culture,” he said.