Tag: NASS

Electoral Act: Lawmakers to consult Nigerians, other stakeholders on section barring ministers, others from contesting for positions

Aminu Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that following his assent to the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill 2022, with the introduction of new technology and efforts to engender clarity and transparency, it holds a lot of promise for improving the electoral processes in the country. Recall that the President signed the Bill into law on Friday, during a ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President suggested tinkering with Section 84(2), which he expressed dissatisfaction with, as he noted that it contravenes the rights of political office holders to vote and be…

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Electoral Act: Buhari delaying to have a near perfect law – Presidency

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

President Muhammadu Buhari is delaying signing the Electoral Act Amendment before him because he wants to have a near perfect law in place. Senior Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity Femi Adesina made this assertion while appearing on a national television breakfast show Tuesday, 22 February. Adesina said no one can stampede the President to sign the act, making reference to civil society organizations plan to embark on nationwide protest tagged a day of action. The media said the President will sign the act in hours before the…

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APC moves to bar Senators, House of Rep members from voting in presidential primary

Aminu Imam

A fresh crisis appears to be looming in the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), amidst fresh plans by the APC to bar members of the National Assembly who are not principal officers from taking part in its presidential primaries. Currently, all serving and former members of the APC are allowed to participate in the party’s convention; however, this could change should the amendment scale through. According to Section 12.1 of the current APC constitution, members of the national convention shall include members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Chairman…

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Constitution Amendment: NASS splits office of Justice Minister from AGF

Aminu Imam

…Independent candidates can now contest without primaries The Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has approved the separation of the office of the Minister of Justice from that of the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF), as part of the recommended amendments to the 1999 Constitution. The matter and about 54 other proposed amendments are expected to be tabled before the legislative arm by the end of this month. If it is passed by the two chambers and endorsed by at least two-thirds of 36 State Houses…

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NASS transmits re-amended Electoral Bill to President Buhari for assent

Aminu Imam

The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill was yesterday transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent by the Clerk to the National Assembly. In an issued statement yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, said authenticated copies of the Bill were transmitted to the Executive. He confirmed, in the statement, that Clerk to the National Assembly, Arc. Amos Olatunde Ojo, released the copies before they were forwarded to the Executive. The transmission, he said, is in pursuance of Section 58 (3) of…

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Electoral Act (amendment) Bill: NASS passes harmonised Bill with direct, indirect, consensus modes of party primaries

Aminu Imam

The National Assembly has passed the harmonised version of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The harmonised version, passed by the lawmakers during yesterday’s plenary, is the final agreed version between the Senate and House of Representatives, on the amendment to Clause 84 of the Bill. It includes the direct, indirect, and consensus primary modes of nominating candidates by political parties for elections. The re-amendment was sequel to a motion on “rescission on clause 84 of the Electoral Act No. 26 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and Committal to the Committee of…

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Electoral Act Amendment: NASS re-amends Bill, rescinds decision on direct primaries, as Senate, Reps. differ on consensus option

Aminu Imam

The National Assembly has re-amended the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill yesterday, approving both direct and indirect primaries for political parties for elective positions. Both Chambers made the re-amendment in separate plenary sessions. In the Senate, the lawmakers also added the consensus clause for the nomination of candidates by political parties. In a statement, the upper chamber equally noted that “a political party that adopts the direct primaries procedure shall ensure that all aspirants are given equal opportunity of being voted for by members of the party”. In a statement, the…

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Electoral Act: CSOs give Buhari, NASS ultimatum to pass Amendment Bill into law

Aminu Imam

…’Override Buhari’s veto or delete areas of complaints’ – PDP tells lawmakers A coalition of leading Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs), working for the perfection of the electoral system in Nigeria have urged the legislature and President Muhammadu Buhari to conclude the process of the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill by January, 31. The CSOs, who made their appeal yesterday in Abuja, during a news conference, also said that any further delay on the conclusion of the Electoral Act amendment process was inimical to the preparations for Ekiti and Osun States off-cycle…

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Buhari reveals how National Assembly altered, distorted 2022 Budget

Aminu Imam

…”We did nothing wrong” – NASS President Buhari, yesterday, said he signed the Bill into law despite his reservations about many of the changes that the NASS members made to the Executive proposal. The president made the revelation on Friday during the signing of the 2022 Appropriation Bill, as well as the enabling 2021 Finance Bill, into law. Flanked by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila as well and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, as well as other top government…

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Electoral Act Amendment: ‘Why NASS can’t override Buhari’s refusal to assent Bill’ – Wike

Aminu Imam

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, says the National Assembly lacks the temerity to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Act amendment Bill because it is part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheme to deny Nigerians free, fair and transparent election in 2023. He said the only way for Nigerians not to repeat the 2015 and 2019 mistakes of voting the APC-led Federal Government into power is to send them packing in 2023. Governor Wike made the assertions at the flag-off of Chokocho-Igbodo Road that was performed…

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