President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has stated that electoral process must be routine and inviolable, with a view to strengthen democracy in the country, explaining that the country must fashion out an electoral scheme that does not disenfranchise any Nigerian, and one that does not have room for ballot tampering and manipulation.

Saraki who made this call at the National Assembly today, while giving his opening remarks at the retreat of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the current National Assembly is poised to provide the missing gaps through its legislative interventions but “we will be best served with the advice coming from your recommendations through the committee.”

Speaking further on the purpose of the retreat, he opined that electoral successes in the last general election has created the impression that “we have achieved electoral universality and integrity, but recent events and emerging issues have served as a reminder to us that there is still a lot of work to be done. This is why this retreat has become indeed both timely and critical.”

“We must remain keenly aware that more than ever before the Nigerian people demand a responsible government whose fate, they alone can determine. It all starts with having a virile electoral system with impeccable integrity and universal application must be the minimum standards.

“The expectation of the people of Nigeria is that this retreat will produce an outcome that will strengthen the electoral environment and law, as well as further deepen our democracy.”

He, however, assured Nigerians of the commitment of the Senate and the National Assembly in amending the Electoral Act, in line with peoples’ expectations and with a view to strengthen the electoral process.

•Photo showsSenate President Saraki.