By; JULIANA KATUNG, Kaduna
The long awaited bill for a law to substitute the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission Law, No. 10 of 2012 has on Tuesday, 7th, February, 2018 been passed into law by the state House of Assembly.
The bill which was among the eight others passed by the lawmakers was seen as the obstacle to the conduct of the long over due local government elections that was first scheduled to take place in December 2017.
The purpose of the law is to provide the necessary framework for an efficient and effective system to conduct credible and hitch free elections into the local Government councils in the state.
The law is also seeks to strengthen the Electoral system by introducing the use of electronic voting machine to forestall Electoral malpractice and ensure that elections are transparent, free, and fairs.
According to the law, verification and voting will be done through the use of approved electronic devices, smart card Reader and the electronic voting Machine.
It’s noted that where it become impracticable to verify a voter through the use of any of the electronic device and his name appeared on the voters register, he or she will be allow to vote as envisaged in section 41 of the law.
Speaking shortly after enacting of the law, the chairman House Committee on Judiciary Barrister Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku said with the Passage of the Independent Electoral bills into law, Kaduna People should expect a free and fair election.
According to him, before the house arrived at the law, a public Hearing was conducted, stressing that the views of the people is embedded in the law, making it the law of the masses.
Also speaking the chairman House Committee on information, Deacon Nuhu Goro Shadalafiya said that One aspect in the law that needed to pass through the legislative process was the use of the electronic machine which was inserted in the law for the first time, that the law now has stated that even if the machine do not recognize you but your name appear in the machine you will be allow to vote.
He however encourage the Kaduna people to take the advantage of all the laws that was passed into law and urged them, especially those that are yet to get their voter card to go and register to enable them exercise their right.
Also, the House passed the bill for a law to provide for the local Government (administration) law of 2012 as amended, Kaduna state Local Government Service Commission Law 2012, Kaduna State Mass Literacy edict of 1989, and other matters connected thereto.
The law seeks to provide for local government reforms in Kaduna State as well as repeal the Kaduna State Local Government Service Commission Law, 2012.
The law which introduced the presidential system of government at the local government level will facilitate efficient and effective checks and balances.
