Direct Primaries: Buhari Rejects Electoral Act Amendment Bill
President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly refused to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly.
President Buhari reportedly wrote leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly after refusing to sign the bill into law because of the huge cost of conducting direct primaries among other reasons.
Spokesmen of the Senate and House of Representatives denied knowledge of President Buhari’s rejection letter, yesterday, as a host of federal legislators contacted on the matter kept mum.
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President Buhari has up till December 19 to sign the bill into law. If he refuses assent, the lawmakers with two-thirds majority can veto the president and pass the bill into law.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said it would issue a detailed reaction after reading the report but said it stands with the president on the issue just as the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said it would not react to speculations.
Efforts to get the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, to speak on the development did not bear fruits but Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, aligned with the president, saying the bill would have truncated Nigeria’s democracy and led to lots of litigation, if signed into law.
