The National Assembly has transmitted the 2021 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill it passed this month to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.
The two chambers of the National Assembly had earlier this month passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill making provision for electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and adoption of direct primaries by the parties for the election of their candidates in future polls.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, who made this known yesterday, stated that the bill had been transmitted to President Buhari yesterday.
He said:
Please be informed that in pursuance of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004, the National Assembly has transmitted the Electoral Bill 2021 to Mr. President today Friday, November 19, 2021.
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Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, had earlier hinted that the National Assembly would this week transmit the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 to President Buhari for his assent.
According to him, the legislative arm expected that President Buhari would sign the bill into law before long.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had also on Thursday during a visit to President Buhari at the State House in Abuja, hinted of the possibility of the President signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.
On whether the Electoral Act Amendment Bill had been transmitted to the President and when it would be done, Gbajabiamila said:
It’s on the way. You can be sure of that.
He had told journalists that the President was in support of the direct primary for political parties to produce candidates for elections.
The Speaker said President Buhari had been a product of direct primaries because of his popularity, adding that direct primaries open up the political space for the youths to participate.
He noted that the indirect primaries which have been the practice in the selection of candidates for political parties for elections had not helped the growth of democracy in the country.
Gbajabiamila gave the assurance that the President would soon sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law as he is back from official engagements.
