Senate transmits amended Electoral Act to Buhari for assent, as direct primaries retained
Senate, Friday, transmitted the Electoral Act Amendment bill to President Muhammadu Buhari, with the controversial Direct Primaries clause included.
The bill was passed into law by both chambers last month.
This was revealed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, through a statement issued in Abuja.
The bill was passed after a conference committee of the upper and lower legislative chambers harmonised the version of the House of Representatives as well as the Senate to statutorily allow electronic transmission of election results.
Omorare, citing relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended, said the bill was transmitted on Friday in anticipation that it would be signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Please be informed that in pursuance of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004, the National Assembly has transmitted the Electoral Bill 2021 to Mr. President today Friday, November 19, 2021,” read the terse statement.
The harmonised version has placed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the sole power to determine the mode of transmission of results.
The clause in the amended act that empowers INEC to transmit election results electronically; was contained in clause 52 (2) of the Electoral Act.
