The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has said the National Assembly is committed to reforming the legal framework for the nation’s electoral process.Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District, stated this during the 2-day South-West Zonal Legislative Interactive Session, organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, held in Ibadan at the weekend.
He said the committee was keen on improving the nation’s electoral process and sought all inputs in this regard.
To carry out a wholesome programme, Alli said the committee had scheduled interactive sessions with different stakeholders and interest groups across the country.
In his goodwill message, the chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Prince Adebayo Balogun, representing Ibeju/Lekki Federal Constituency, said young people’s participation in general elections and the electoral process is crucial for the nation’s future.
Balogun identified crucial factors to increase the participation of people, including economic, political awareness, education, political culture, access to information and technology, youth representation, and social networks.
He said, “Trust in the electoral process and the legal and institutional framework, considering the newfound enthusiasm, energy, ideas, aspirations, and many others.
“As we strive to amend our Electoral Act 2022, we must seek to accommodate a very useful and insightful legislative framework to make the participation of our young people more visible and audible.”
The House Committee chairman urged all the representatives of youth organisations at the event to actively engage in the discussions that “lie presently at our feet, share our insights and thoughts, and collectively forge a path to strengthen our democratic process and deepen our democracy.”
In his address, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, noted that elections were among the most effective ways of promoting participation in governance.
Yakubu, who was represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella, stated that the 2023 general election witnessed quite a number of youths’ participation in the electoral process.
He declared that Nigerian youths deserve commendation for maximising their power to disrupt the political landscape.
He urged the legislative houses to assign leadership roles to young legislators to maximise their intellect, energy, and creativity in improving legislative governance.
Yakubu equally called on media organisations to take deliberate steps to spotlight the contributions of young legislators to legislative governance and ensure media visibility for young legislators at the national and state assemblies.
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