As the National Assembly returns from its Christmas and New Year break, there are new discussions about the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which President Muhammadu Buhari rejected over direct primaries.
Buhari did not assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in a letter to the National Assembly dated December 13, 2021, titled “Withholding of assent to Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021,” citing economic, security, and legal concerns.
The Federal lawmakers had proceeded on their recess after the president communicated to them the rejection of the amendments made to the 2010 Electoral Act.
While the Senate debated overriding the president’s veto before the recess, members of the House of Representatives stated that action on the draft law will be taken after the recess.
During a nationally televised interview, the president stated that he would sign the electoral act bill if lawmakers provided options for the holding of political party primaries. He listed the alternatives, which included indirect, direct, and consensus.
Stakeholders in the country’s political environment, including governors and civil society groups, have proposed solutions ahead of the National Assembly members’ resumption.
In their reactions, rising from their meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Peoples Democratic Party governors yesterday appealed to the lawmakers to immediately act on the electoral bill.
There are concerns that any further delay on the Electoral Amendment Bill 2021 being signed into law could constitute a big drawback for the 2023 general elections as the electoral law is expected to be in place at least a year before the election to direct the activities of INEC.
Stakeholders comprising members of the civil society, the organized labor, and media, among others, at a citizens’ town hall on “Electoral Bill 2021” held in Abuja on Sunday by Yiaga Africa and partners, were unanimous in urging members of the National Assembly to expeditiously conclude actions on the bill to ensure it becomes law.
In their various deliberations, they urged the lawmakers to remove the disputed provision on compulsory direct primaries by all political parties and resend the bill to the president for his assent.
A former Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, advised the lawmakers not to dissipate energies on trying to override the president, but should instead, remove the clause on direct primaries to allow the bill receive presidential assent without further delay.
