The Senate president, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, say they are in agreement in their resolve to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
In a statement signed by their spokespersons Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, on Saturday, both leaders of the National; Assembly cleared media speculations that there was a division between them on how to respond to the assent withholding.
“We wish to inform the public that there is no such disagreement between the two leaders, and indeed the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“The Senate President and the Speaker, as heads of the two chambers of the National Assembly and representing the views of their colleagues, will want everybody to know that they are on the same page on what is the appropriate reaction to the President’s withholding of assent on the Electoral Act amendment bill.
“There is no disagreement between the two chambers as well as their presiding officers. The leadership of the two chambers constantly hold discussions and are in agreement on what to do, how to do it, when to do it and why it must be done.
“The issue at stake is not personal. It is about deepening democracy. It is about improving our democracy and the National Assembly is on firm constitutional and legal grounds to amend the law as well as take decisions in the manner they have been responding,’ the statement reads in part.
The two leaders said the story and the insinuations contained in it were mere distractions and unnecessary misrepresentation aimed at creating division in the Federal Legislature.
President Buhari on March 13 declined to assent to the reordering of elections brought unto the Electoral Act.
His refusal was sent in separate letters to the Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives on March 13 had rejected the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.
The veto has since divided the Senate where a group of 10 lawmakers staged a walk out in support of the president.
According to them, the NASS, by amending the act, is taking over the powers of INEC to conduct elections—same reason Buhari stated in his letters.
Both Saraki and Dogara had a meeting with Buhari on Friday. It was not clear whether they had a consensus over this, aming other issues discussed.