Dr. Ahmade Lawan, president of the Nigerian Senate on Monday, November 22, held a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari
Lawann said the National Assembly does not need to lobby the Nigerian leader to sign the electoral amendment bill
The Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which allows direct primaries...CONTINUE READING
Abuja – The National Assembly does not need to lobby Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the electoral amendment bill in its current form.
Senate president, Ahmad Lawan on Monday, November 22, disclosed this to journalists after a meeting with Buhari at the State House in Abuja, Premium Times reports.
Dr. Ahmad Lawan has said that the expectation of NASS is that President Muhammadu Buhari would sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Photo credit
According to Lawan, transmitting the bill to the president shows NASS members already expressed their positions on issues to the president.
While noting that Buhari will not be influenced by any external force to perform his duties on the bill, Lawan added that the president will follow the due process.
In another report by Nigerian Tribune, the president of the 9th Senate called on All Progressive Congress (APC) governors who are not happy with the provision of direct primary provision in the Electoral Act to engage with the lawmakers and other political stakeholders.
Though not all governors are against the use of direct primary to select political party candidates for elections, Lawan said putting the provision in the bill was a decision of the majority of the National Assembly.
2023: Gbajabiamila meets Buhari, shares president’s stand on direct primaries
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila inisted that President Buhari is in support of the direct primary.
This mode of primaries allows all card carrying members of political parties to be involved in the choice of candidates for major elections.
Gbajabiamila made this known on Thursday, November 18, after meeing with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
PDP governor disagrees with National Assembly, says direct primaries will create more problems
Meanehile, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state said he never supported the idea of direct primary elections for political parties because it will cause more problems than envisaged.
Ortom, who was reacting to questions from journalists in Makurdi about his thoughts concerning the amendment of the electoral law just passed by the National Assembly, also said the adoption of direct primaries by political parties would cost more money.
The governor however expressed confidence that the PDP would make headway in the states and at national level in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, citing the performance of the party at its just-concluded convention and the Anambra election as examples.
