Lawmaker reveals reason for delay in assent to amendment of Electoral Act

A lawmaker representing Esan North East/Esan South East constituency, Edo State, at the House of Representatives, Sergius Ogun has revealed the reason behind the delay in the assent of the Electoral Amendment Bill.

Ogun made this disclosure on Tuesday during a guest appearance on Channels TV ‘Sunrise Daily’ show, noting that the delay in the assent was befuddling to a section of the lawmakers.

According to the lawmaker, the Bill had undergone thorough analyses after several sittings by the House of Representatives which made the delay in its passage ‘befuddling’.

Nonetheless, Ogun expressed optimism about its passage while noting that some lawmakers also shared some of the concerns of President Muhammadu Buhari such as the entrenchment of the direct primaries system within the electoral process.

“It was delayed for a while which is befuddling because the Bill had gone through public hearing and clause by clause consideration and some of us wondered about the delay but the President has given his assent and we will do the needful.

“It is not as if the President is dictating because some of us are in agreement with him but we will look into the Bill and make the necessary modifications and I believe strongly that President Muhammadu Buhari will assent to the Bill,” Ogun stated.

READ ALSO: Expedite action on electoral bill to aid INEC preparations for 2023 elections,’ Jega tells Buhari, National Assembly

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Buhari pledged to sign the bill if the parliament would agree to make necessary adjustments to the document.

He added that any adjustment in the bill must include the addition of consensus candidates and the indirect primary system.

The President said: “Yes, I will sign the Electoral Amendment Bill. All I said (is that) there should be options. We must not insist that it has to be direct; it should be consensus and indirect.

“There should be options, you can’t dictate to people and say you are doing democracy. Give them other options so they can make a choice.

“Personally, I do not support direct primary because I want people to be given a choice. You can’t give them one option and think that you are being democratic. Let them have three options – there is the consensus.”

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