The Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) has urged the Senate to refrain from acting as overlords and instead respect the views of citizens during the ongoing review of the Electoral Act.
The Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, made this call on Thursday during an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television.
Nwankwo stated that a broad consensus had already been reached through joint National Assembly committees, public hearings and zonal consultations on key reforms, including real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The PLAC boss, however, slammed the Senate’s use of closed executive sessions on a matter of grave national public interest.
He emphasized that the Electoral Act is not the personal property of anybody, adding that it is a national property.
“You have to be transparent. People elected you as a legislator; you didn’t fight your way into that position. You were elected by the people, and you represent the people.
“You must respect citizens’ views. Don’t act as overlords. There is nothing that makes you superior to the ordinary Nigerian. You were elected, and you are accountable to the people.
“When you beg people to vote you in, you must listen to them. That is what is painful to a lot of us. You act as if you are an overlord, but you are not listening to us, the citizens,” he said.
