Reps take after Senate, amend Electoral Act’s Section 84, allowing statutory delegates vote at primaries

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, amended Section 84(8) of the Amended Electoral Act of 2022 allowing statutory delegates to attend and vote at political party congresses and conventions.

After examining a Bill sponsored by Rep. Abubakar Fulata, Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, during plenary in Abuja, the house changed the clause.

“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, No. 13, 2022,” says the bill.

President Muhammadu Buhari signed the current version in February, which barred statutory delegates from voting in party primaries.

According to Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Amendment Act, a political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall clearly outline in its constitution and rules the procedure for the democratic election of delegates.

Read also :Senate amends Electoral Act to allow president, govs, others vote at parties’ primaries

This, according to the Act is to vote at the convention, congress or meeting, in addition to statutory delegates already prescribed in the constitution of the party

Statutory delegates include: councillors, local government chairmen and their vices, political party chairmen in all the 774 LGAs, state and federal lawmakers.

Others are: Governors and their Deputies, President and Vice President, political parties’ National Working Committee members, state party chairmen and secretaries.

The amendment will allow statutory delegates, in addition to the delegates elected by various political parties at congresses and conventions to elect candidates for various political offices.

The Senate, had on May 10, amended and passed the same bill.

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