The upper chamber of the National Assembly on Wednesday finally dropped the ‘controversial’ clause that makes direct primary mandatory for the election of candidates in political parties from the electoral amendment act.
The Senate in late 2021 passed a version of the bill and transmitted it to President Muhammadu Buhari who declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Recalled that President Buhari said that the mandatory use of direct primaries for all political parties in the country will be too expensive to execute, saying that it will put a financial burden on Nigeria’s slim resources.
Buhari also expressed fears that the proposed mandatory use of direct primaries will amount to the violation of citizens’ rights will be violated and will lead to marginalisation for smaller political parties.
Thus, the President advised the National Assembly to look into the areas of concern and transmit the bill to him for assent.
In the same vein, House of Representatives speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and Senate president Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday said that the National Assembly will work on the proposed legislation and send to Buhari.
In this regard, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said that it would not release an election timetable until the electoral act amendment has been concluded.
“On the Electoral Amendment Bill currently before the National Assembly, the commission is encouraged by the Senate President’s assurance to give priority attention to the Bill when the National Assembly reconvenes from its recess today, and the commitment by the President to assent to the Bill as soon as the issue of mode of primaries by political parties is resolved,” INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu said in Abuja.
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