Lawan reveals when Senate will pass Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan has revealed when the Upper House will pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill while also giving assurance on the repeal of the Electoral Act 2010.

Lawan revealed at a public hearing on the repeal of the Electoral Act 2010 and enactment of the 2020 Electoral Act on Wednesday in Abuja that the National Assembly will pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the first quarter of 2021.

Speaking further at the public hearing on Wednesday, Lawan also added that the National Assembly would work to make it possible so that the amended 2020 Electoral Act would be tested in early elections to gauge its effectiveness.

According to Lawan, members of the National Assembly are not self-serving and are “extremely” conscious of what they do.

Lawan said that the federal lawmakers are “easily the most reachable set of elected people. “A free fair and credible election in 2023 is doable; we just have to remain focused. When we get something right, please commend and encourage us. Don’t wait until we make mistakes and then you say ‘these people are self-serving’.

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“From my experience both in the house and in the senate, the national assembly has never been self-serving. The national assembly is probably one institution where members are extremely conscious of what they do because of their electorate. “We are always open, exposed and easily the most-reachable set of elected people.” Lawan said the electoral act amendment bill will be passed before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

“People may choose to accuse us for any other thing but not on what we do here. We remain committed to all the issues we have considered important in our legislative agenda and without anybody holding us responsible, we have achieved most of those things we have set as targets and the electoral act amendment is one of those targets we will work to pass,” he said.

“We don’t need you to hold us because if you hold us, you will disrupt us. Pray for us, continue to advise us, engage with us, partner with us and we will achieve those things.

“I have participated in several elections since 1999 and none of them has been the same. I have had different experiences. It means we always have some new emerging problems,” Lawan concluded.

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