JUST IN: National Assembly transmits reworked electoral bill to Buhari

The National Assembly has transmitted the reworked Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2022 to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

The reworked bill was transmitted to the president on Monday, according to a statement by Senator Babajide Omoware, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate.)

According to the statement, “The Clerk to the National Assembly Mr Olatunde Amos Ojo has transmitted the authenticated copies of the Electoral Bill 2022 to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on 31st January 2022.

“This was done in accordance with the provisions 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,” he said.

Mr President had withheld assent to the Electoral Bill 2021 on 19th November 2021. The Electoral Bill was thereafter reworked by the National Assembly and both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the same on January 25, 2022.

The amendment bill was first transmitted to the president last November but rejected by the president last December upon his disagreement with the provisions limiting the political parties to using only direct primaries in the selection of their candidates for political office.