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For the fourth time in 10 months, President Muhammadu Buhari turned down his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018. The amended bill, which has new components, is expected to guide the Independent National Electoral Commission in conducting the 2019 general elections.
The reasons for the rejection were mainly anchored on drafting errors. In addition to this, Buhari had, while turning it down for the fourth time, stated that it was to avoid chaos in the 2019 general elections.
He specifically cited an international protocol which warned against giving assent to a new electoral law six months before a general election.
The President’s fourth decline did not only spark widespread reactions from the political class, civil society, legal practitioners, among others, it also generated controversy as the leadership of the National Assembly threatened to override the President’s assent.
The key addition, among others, in the new Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, which differentiates it from the 2015 Electoral Act (that is currently in use), is the legal backing given to the Independent National Electoral Commission on the use of card readers and electronic technology.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mba Ukweni, said it was unfair for Buhari to use an international protocol as an excuse when such code of behaviour was not binding on Nigeria.
Besides, Ukweni accused the President of using the international protocol as a soft landing because it favoured him.
He said, “The President is entitled to his view, but as an individual, whatever the President has given as an excuse for not assenting to the bill does not make much meaning to me. Recall that the bill was a subject matter of litigation in the Federal High Court in Abuja under the sponsorship of the President. Now, after waiting for this length of time, he is talking about international protocol. I think he has not done this in good faith.
“On the claims of international protocol, I think whatever international protocol there is on elections, it is not binding on us. The government is not honest with us (Nigerians) because they take positions on situations that are favourable to them at each point in time not minding what effect it would have on the people.
“He should tell Nigerians directly that he is afraid of card reader because it will not give the opportunity for his kinsmen to vote and this will reveal the truth about the number of votes they used to bring from his region as not a true reflection. We need to tell ourselves the truth. It is not because it is less than six months that made him not to give assent.”
One of the spokespersons for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign organisation, Alhaji Buba Galadima, in a Channels TV programme, said the President refused to assent the bill because he was afraid of being defeated in the election.
But the Director of Media, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo, who also featured in the same programme, countered the argument, alleging that any contrary position could result in the kind of violence that trailed the aftermath of the 2017 presidential election in Kenya.
Read Full Story: [Punch]
