Editor at the Africanist Press, USA, Chernoh Alpha M. Bah, has penned down some points to note about the proposed Public Elections Act 2022.

“Here is a simple truth they would not want to hear, or neither accept. But it has to be put squarely on their faces that the proposed Public Elections Act 2022 benefits only the MPs: it helps APC MPs retain their seats, while NGC and C4C expand their parliamentary positions through a reduced percentage threshold in exchange for Maada Bio’s second term. That is how they bargained Maada Bio’s SECOND TERM. This is why they are now canvassing public opinion in favor of proportional representation. That speaks to the political logic of the Bill.

Another aspect of the proposed Public Elections Act 2022 guarantees all opposition MPs their positions in Parliament, yet it undermines the opposition’s presidential candidate, whoever that maybe. This is why both the voter register and the powers of the Electoral Commission, and the powers of the President, are all altered by the Bill. That is the intent of the law. It is all about giving Maada Bio a second term in exchange for a proportionally represented Parliament where opposition MPs who are now in control of their executives will still be in Parliament and with no constituency development responsibility, would be able to comfortably do business with the President.

The other advantage it gives to some of the opposition parliamentary leaders is that it helps them re-position themselves as presidential candidates for future elections after 2023. A lot of money has been invested in this rigging compromise by the regime to mobilize support for this rogue process that the politicians of all political parties wouldn’t easily abandon the Bill. They want to find a way to stitch selfish political ambition against the national interest without being seen. They’re now calling on their allies in civil society and business community to assist in keeping them behind the veil. This is how state capture plays out.

There more you look at the Bill, the more dangers you see in it. This is why you still have to insist on your MPs, and especially the parliamentary leadership of all parties, that the Public Elections Bill is a bad law; anyone lobbying public opinion to make any part of the Bill look good is canvassing you to accept a planned rigging of the 2023 presidential elections.”