Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the House of Representatives,
says by 2022, the lower legislative chamber will decide the way forward
concerning the electoral act amendment bill.
Gbajabiamila spoke at the last plenary session of the year
on Tuesday.
The bill was transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for
his assent on November 19.
The legislation provides for the electronic transmission of
election results and the compulsory use of direct primary to pick candidates by
all political parties.
But Buhari rejected the bill, saying the amendment may open
up the electoral system to litigations based on diverse grounds and issues of
law, adding that adopting direct primary violates the spirit of democracy.
The president said his decision to decline assent to the
bill was informed by counsel from the relevant ministries, departments and
agencies (MDA).
Commenting on the issue, Gbajabiamila said the house will
work towards reforming the electoral system of the country.
He added that the house will do its best to deliver a
credible and enduring electoral system.
“This year, despite the differences of opinions, all of us
in the House of Representatives and indeed, the entire National Assembly,
worked to pass the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. We included in that bill,
provisions we hoped will significantly enhance the conduct of our national
elections and improve public confidence in our electoral outcomes,” he said.
“As it is now, that bill has not received presidential
assent, and it falls to parliament to decide the best way forward. When we
return in the new year, we will resume our efforts to reform the electoral
system in our country. And we will do it together. That is what the Nigerian
people expect of us, and we will do our duty for God and our country.
“Whichever way it pans out, we must not throw out the baby
with the bathwater and must deliver a credible and enduring electoral system to
Nigerians. Every law is a living document and as long as it has breath, it must
survive.”
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