Again, Politicians Mount Pressure on Buhari to Reject Reworked Electoral Bill
- Highly-placed sources say President Muhammadu Buhari is again under pressure from influential politicians to reject the electoral bill
- The president had rejected the bill in 2021 citing the clause on direct primaries inserted in the bill
- The reworked bill has now been sent to the president, but there is still pressure on the Nigerian number one citizen to reject it
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
FCT, Abuja - A report by The Nation newspaper indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari is under pressure to reject the reworked Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022.
Sources quoted in the report said those pushing against presidential assent to the bill anchor their argument on certain anti-democratic and discriminatory clauses.
Source: Facebook
A source said:
“The president may still reject the bill because of ‘vendetta and anti-democratic clauses’ in the reworked Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022.
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
“We may end up using the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) for the 2023 general election because of strange clauses.
“For instance, it is illegal to exclude political office holders from primaries. By implication, ministers, commissioners, and others cannot participate in the electoral process.
“Also, the nation does not have the wherewithal for the use of the electronic voting machine. Most politicians in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are uncomfortable with it.
“The consensus clause is cumbersome and an attempt to hit back at state governors who used to impose candidates. So, we should expect a likely rejection of the bill by the president.”
Nigerians on Twitter weigh in on Buhari's delay in signing electoral bill
Some Nigerians on Twitter have been reacting to the delay by the president in signing the bill.
Ogheneyole Oghale wrote:
“We will not wait for 30 days before Nigerians can pressure this government to sign the electoral bill into law. The National Assembly has addressed all concerns raised by the government. So what is the delay for not signing the bill?”
Sunday Ogo wrote:
“Buhari will not sign the electoral bill that barred the ministers from contesting elective positions. If you truly have 14-governors in your kitty then you don't have to be afraid of who is contesting against you.”
Ikpete Bogha wrote:
“A powerful minister that is a lawyer want to contest for governor, that’s why he is advising the president not to sign the amended electoral bill.”
Professor Jega asks Buhari to give nod to electoral bill
Recall that a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, at a recent event, called on President Buhari to give assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill on time.
Jega stated that INEC needs the law in place to begin serious preparations for the forthcoming 2023 elections.
He admitted that some issues in the bill need clarification, but added that other aspects of the document deserve the president's nod.
Electoral Bill: NLC vows to mobilise millions of its members for nationwide protest
Meanwhile, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba has declared that Nigerian workers will hit the streets across the country to force the Buhari administration to sign the 2021 Electoral Bill.
Comrade Wabba said Nigerian federal lawmakers should be proactive in ensuring the approval of the bill before the 2023 elections.
He said the NLC expects the 'needful' to be done by the lawmakers before the end of January 2021.
Source: Legit.ng
