Buhari’s Ministers Panic As Senate Insist On Electoral Act

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Nigerian Senate has snubbed President Muhammadu Buhari request to amend the Electoral Bill. The Upper legislative chamber, on Wednesday, voted overwhelmingly against an executive bill meant to amend the Act recently signed by President Buhari.

Buhari had while signing the bill urged the senate to amend Section 84(12) of the Act which made it mandatory for any government appointee to first resign from office before contesting any election.

The section reads, “no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”.

The president, however, expressed his reservation on “one provision as contained in the proposed bill, whose provision constitutes a fundamental defect, as it is in conflict with extant constitutional provisions,” appealing to the national assembly to amend the section.

“Section 84 (12) constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election,” the president said.

But the Senate has now voted for the section to remain after Senate President Ahmad Lawan called for a voice vote on Wednesday.

Not a few ranking senators including Adamu Aliero and Senate Leader spoke against the amendment. While voicing his opposition to the amendment, Senator Aliero, for instance, cited order 52(5) of the Senate Standing Rules, urging the President of the Sebate to throw away the proposed action on the Bill.

The Senate had earlier rejected a court order stopping the Senate not to proceed with the amendment in line with President Buhari’s request.

Meanwhile, close watchers of political development in the country say some political appointees in Buhari’s government, including ministers and special advisers who are nursing political ambition would be shocked by the senate position on the issue.