The National Assembly has transmitted the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.
The transmission came 10 days after the Bill was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and their positions harmonized.
This was disclosed late Friday Babajide Omoworare, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
Omoworare announced that the transmission of the bill on Friday to the president was pursuant to Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The Bill has been hailed or vilified by the political gladiators, depending on who is speaking on its provisions.
Section 87(1) of the bill provides that: “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the commission”.
Political analysts believe that those who are opposed to this provision are those who fear that their ability to influence the emergence of candidates would be whittled down by the Bill, if it becomes law.
Among those who have expressed opposition to the bill are governors on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, who are called the Progressives Governors Forum.
The bill, when assented into law by the President, will regulate the conduct of Federal, State and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory Elections.
Omoworare 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.”
President Buhari has thirty (30) days to sign the bill.
