Electoral Act Amendment Bill: Pressure on National Assembly

The two chambers of the Nigerian National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, on the resumption of legislative duties on Wednesday came under pressure of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Senate on resumption of plenary on Wednesday went into another closed-door session to deliberate the possibility of veto of the President on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The closed-door session was held for a few minutes.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, after the closed-door session, revealed that the lawmakers deliberated on the President’s decline to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. The Senate President noted that the Upper Legislature was awaiting the outcome of similar deliberating in the lower chamber for joint action.

However, no immediate action will be taken as the lawmakers resolved to consult with their constituents and other stakeholders during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The House of Representatives has already proceeded on holiday and will e resuming in January 2022,

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had stated that the House will deliberate on the controversial Act in January, during his speech on Tuesday in Abuja to mark the adjournment of the House for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The controversial electoral act only has the direct primaries imposed on political parties by the lawmaker to be deleted and it will be signed by President Buhari.