BREAKING: ELECTORAL ACT: At Last, Buhari Writes National Assembly, Gives Reasons for Withholding Assent to Electoral Amendment Bill

BREAKING: ELECTORAL ACT: At Last, Buhari Writes National Assembly, Gives Reasons for Withholding Assent to Electoral Amendment Bill

Save Our Nation (SON)

December 20, 2021

As deadline for the expected presidential assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, elapsed last Friday, report reaching SON indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly, explaining reasons he didn’t assent to the bill.

The President pointed out the high cost of conducting primary elections as reasons he withheld assent to the bill.

Buhari also cited heightened insecurity as another reason, saying that it would be too risky to monitor direct primary elections, which may result in violation of people’s rights.

According to him, small political parties that lack capacity and structure would be marginally denied which he said, he has taken his time to study the bill and wasn’t in the interest of the country.

Buhari said he had received informed advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Government, and had also carefully reviewed the Bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the circumstances.

The president said that it would be better to allow each political party to determine its mode of selecting candidates for election.

SON is monitoring the situation and would bring details after the plenary on Tuesday.