Nigerians express opinions on Buhari’s withdrawal of assent to the amended electoral bill, giving reasons for their positions.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Nigerians are divided over President Muhammadu Buhari’s withdrawal of assent to the amended Electoral Bill. The bill was passed by the National Assembly (NASS) and transmitted to the President on November 19, 2021, for assent. Among the recommendations of the legislators was inclusion of direct primaries as mode for political parties to choose their candidates for elections.
The President however withdrew his assent to the legislation on the grounds that direct primaries would lead to an ‘increased cost; marginalisation of small parties; possible litigation; security challenges in monitoring, violation of rights of citizens; and possible manipulation.
Buhari explained that his decision to withhold assent was informed by advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government after a thorough review, adding that signing the bill into law would have serious adverse legal, financial, economic and security implications on the country.
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Some groups, including the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, agreed with Buhari. Reports quoted Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi as supporting the President that primary elections should be left to the political parties to conduct.
“As things are now, our electoral process is expensive and if you now add this, you are complicating it the more because rich men will buy the delegates and that is why we say this is the time for independent candidacy”, he said.
NASS and leading civil society organisation, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), however disagree with the President on the action. Reports by Vanguard Newspapers, indicate that 76 Senators drawn from different party lines, have expressed their readiness to veto the President on the matter.
In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Femi Gbajiabiamila, tactfully averted what could have amounted to a rowdy session on Wednesday, when he parried efforts by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, to subject the letter from the President withdrawing his assent to debate, till the House resumes on January 8, 2022.
Elumelu had argued: “Mr. Speaker, on the issue of the electoral bill, you said that the National Assembly will find a way to resolve the issue. Nigerians are looking up to us. If we wait to resume before we can talk to Nigerians, it will be too late. We can suspend our rules and look at the bill and amend that clause, this I think will make Nigerians see us as good representatives. This is my submission.”
The Speaker however reminded him that even if the House decided to make a decision, it would not be valid until a concurrence was secured with the Senate, given that NASS was a bicameral legislature.
LEDAP maintained that direct primaries would guarantee inclusiveness and participation of all members of the political parties in the selection of candidates for various elective offices such as the nomination of party flag bearers for general elections as well as party officials at congresses and conventions.
It called on NASS to immediately veto the assent of the President by virtue of section 58(5) and 59 (5) of the Constitution which empowers it by a two-thirds majority of its members to veto the assent of the President for ordinary and money bills respectively.
Lagos-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Gender Care Initiative (GCI), called for understanding between the President and the National Assembly on the way out of the situation. In a chat with our reporter, GCI executive director, public enlightenment and advocacy, Dr. Ogwanwa Alphonsus, remarked that the issue at hand, has a lot of similarities with the bill before the National Assembly at the time of the arguments over former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure elongation gambit, where in a bid to halt the agenda, all other clauses in the constitution amendment bill, were thrown out.
She recalled that in the current exercise, there are other important issues like electronic transmission of results that concern Nigerians more than direct primaries. “Direct primaries are not the major concern of the ordinary Nigerians. Nigerians are more concerned with free and fair elections. Let NASS and the presidency find a common ground on the direct primaries. It should not constitute a reason for throwing away the entire bill. Compromise should be allowed to prevail here”, she said.
