Nigeria HoR to re-introduce Electoral Amendment bill Wednesday at Plenary

The House of Representatives will re-introduce the Electoral Act Amendment Bill at Wednesday plenary.

Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday while welcoming his colleagues to 2022 legislative business, expressed disappointment over the rejection of the electoral act amendment bill by the executive.

The Speaker also expressed concerns about the errors purported to be in the Bill sent to Mr. President for assent, insisting a different version might have been transmitted.

He said in his welcome address that the direct primary provision in the bill was intended to strengthen the foundation of democracy in Nigeria and ensure the system works for all saying the primary nomination process that deprives Nigerians of choosing their leaders is unacceptable.

He described the argument by political parties not having a comprehensive register of their members as appalling questioning how the electoral process will develop with such an arrangement.

Gbajabiamiala says it is disappointing that the idea of rejecting the direct primary provision has again denied Nigeria an opportunity to fully participate in the country’s electoral process.

He assured Nigerians the Constitution Amendment Bill would be ready for the concurrence of the States Houses of Assembly before the end of February.