At the last count, about 76 Senators on Tuesday signified their readiness to override President Muhammadu Buhari who vetoed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.
The Senators defied party loyalty and wrote their names as part of those who are opposed to the President’s veto of the Bill.
This was as the Senate met on Tuesday, when the Senate President, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, read Buhari’s letter announcing his rejection of the Bill.
While these Senators put down their names, there were indicators that more of them were willing to add their names to the list of those who want to override the president.
The Senate and the House require two-thirds of their members to override the president. The Senate has 109 members which means that the Upper Chamber requires 73 members to override the President.
The President was expected to sign the Bill latest by Sunday, December 19, but he declined his assent.
In the House of Representatives, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, also read the letter to the members but resisted all efforts by the members to commence action on the President’s letter.
Among other reasons, the President said that the provision for Direct Primaries by the political parties would be undemocratic to force all political parties in the country. He argued that parties already have constitutions that have spelt out their various modes of electing their candidates for elections.
