The National Assembly has requested that the Executive re-submit the newly enacted Electoral Act in time for amendments to the provisions opposed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan made the call in Abuja while speaking on the Assembly’s reaction to the President’s dissatisfaction with Section 84 of the Act and his demand that it be amended.
He said President Buhari’s approval of the Bill had reassured them that he valued their efforts and the nonpartisan approach they used in producing the document.
Senator Lawal commended him for demonstrating maturity by pointing out the area with which he disagreed rather than rejecting the entire document.
He urged Nigerians to respect the rigorous processes that stakeholders had to go through in order to produce the legislation by refusing to be used to circumvent the rules contained therein.
Similarly, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, stated that the electoral law, if effectively implemented by INEC and the people, would be a watershed moment in Nigeria’s electoral history.
He said the 9th Assembly and the Executive would continue to collaborate to fine-tune the document until it reached the pinnacle of perfection.
