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Reps succumb to pressure from Buhari, drop re-ordering bill

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6 years ago

April 18, 2018

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The House of Representatives on Wednesday dropped the bill seeking to amend the electoral after weeks of face-off with President Muhammadu Buhari who had refused to assent the bill.

The amendment sought to change the sequence of the election in a way that the presidential election comes last, after the state assemblies/national assembly and governorship elections.

The lower legislative chamber dropped the bill during plenary on Wednesday after Edward Pwajok, a Plateau lawmaker, who sponsored the bill, said he was withdrawing it.

The lawmaker after consultations said he was advised to withdraw the bill.

When he called for the withdrawal of the bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, leader of the house, raised a point of order saying he was not informed of the intended withdrawal, despite his name being on the bill.

The house, however, adopted Pwajok’s prayer, and subsequently dropped the bill.

The house had earlier passed the bill, but President Muhammadu Buhari withheld his assent to it.

He said the amendment infringed on the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The amendment had generated intense criticism from various quarters, including INEC.

The crisis witnessed at the senate earlier on Wednesday is as a result of the attempt to reorder the 2019 elections.

Ovie Omo-Agege, a senator from Delta state, had opposed it, saying Buhari might be the target.

Displeased with his action, the senate suspended him. One week after the suspension, he invaded the red chamber with suspected thugs who carted away the legislative symbol of authority.