19th January, 2022
By Naomi Sharang
The Senate on Wednesday surrendered to President Muhammadu Buhari request to give political parties the option of using direct or indirect primaries as a mode of selection of candidates for election in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
This followed the adoption of a motion for the re-committal of the bill to the Committee of the Whole by Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi at Wednesday’s plenary.
In the earlier approval, the Senate had amended the bill adopting Direct Primaries for political parties.
The Bill was passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent which was withheld.
In withholding his assent, the President particularly referred to the amendment of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 dealing with the mode of nomination of candidates by political parties.
The President had consequently asked the Senate to include direct, indirect primaries as well as the consensus option for election of candidates by political parties.
The Senate surrendered to the President with the amendment of Section 87(2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 to indicate that the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for various elective positions shall be by direct or indirect primaries.
Accordingly, the upper chamber in Clause 87(2) of the report approved direct, indirect primaries or consensus as procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions.
Speaking on the motion, Abdullahi explained that the motion for re-committal of the bill to the Committee on the Whole was due to the need to address observations by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This is to make necessary amendment in accordance with Order 87(c) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022 (as amended); and relying on order 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022 ( as amended),” he said.(NAN)
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