Electoral Act: Senate, House wait till January to decide next step


Attempt to override President Muhammadu Buhari's veto on the 2010 Electoral Act (Amendments) Bill 2021 failed in the Senate on Wednesday, apparently because the signature two-thirds members could not be mobilised by the Senators behind the move.

At the end of a 40-minute closed door session, Senate President Ahmad Lawan that the upper legislative chamber had decided to consult with members of the House of Representatives on the matter.

But since the lower chamber proceeded on end-to-end recess on Tuesday, both chambers could not meet to take a joint decision on the matter, Lawan said, adding that that process that to wait until resumption of plenary in January.

Lawan also said that the Senate, in the executive session, resolved that members should consult with their constituencies who are critical stakeholders in the electoral process.

The President disagreed with the National Assembly on the mode of party primary. While he preferred that the options be left to the parties to decide, the parliament opted for direct primary only.

When the Senate commenced business on Wednesday, Senator George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East), raised a point of order, asking the Senate to go into a closed session to discuss the issue.

The Senate President sustained Sekibo’s point of order and the closed session commenced by 1.57 pm.


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