Nigerians haven’t heard the last of President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the 2021 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, as the Senate signaled its readiness for a showdown with the executive and moved to override him.
Although the situation in the House of Representatives was not as heated as it was in the Senate, the House leadership stated that while the bill did not receive presidential assent, it was the responsibility of the parliament to determine the best way forward, adding that efforts to reform the electoral system would resume next year.
However, as of yesterday evening, over 75 senators had signed a proposal indicating their willingness to override Buhari’s veto of the electoral bill, which would be introduced as a motion.
After the upper chamber emerged from a 40-minute closed session, Senate President Dr. Ahmed Lawan read Buhari’s letter at the start of the plenary.
Following a thorough review, the president explained in the letter that his decision to withhold assent to the electoral bill was influenced by advice from relevant government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“In light of the foregoing, I hereby notify the National Assembly that I am compelled to withhold my assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 in accordance with Sections 58(1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution.” (As modified.)
It is my considered opinion that political parties should be allowed to freely exercise their right to choose whether to use direct or indirect primaries in the conduct of their primary elections, as their respective realities permit.”
He claims that signing the bill into law would have serious legal, financial, economic, and security consequences for the country, particularly given Nigeria’s peculiarities.
He also stated that forcing political parties to hold direct primaries would be undemocratic.
Buhari also stated that such imposition would jeopardize citizens’ constitutionally guaranteed right to participate in government.
This is the president’s second refusal to sign the electoral bill, with the first occurring during the Eighth National Assembly in 2018, when he stated that the bill’s passage by the then-National Assembly was too close to the 2019 general election.
Two closed-door sessions held at yesterday’s plenary were said to be inconclusive, with senators threatening to veto the president’s position at Wednesday’s plenary using provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Sen. Ahmed Lawan called an executive session at 10:44 a.m., ostensibly to prevent senators from expressing outrage over the president’s veto and, apparently, to prevent open opposition to Buhari’s communication to the Senate.
Midway through the plenary, Senator George Sekibo (Rivers East) invoked Order 14 of the Senate Standing Rules, requesting that the Senate convene in another round of closed-door session, which Lawan granted.
Sekibo was said to have used the closed session to vent his rage over Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Bill after both chambers of the National Assembly had passed it.
It was also reported that the second closed-door session became rowdy at one point when some senators proposed overturning the veto while others tried to persuade them not to go too far.
According to reports, more senators supported the overriding plan because political survival in their respective states, where governors had become arch-rivals, had become a fierce battle.
The executive sessions were held, it was discovered, to allow senators to resolve some contentious issues, such as the electoral bill so that they would not openly confront themselves in plenary.
After yesterday’s plenary, Sekibo confirmed that senators were ready to override Buhari’s decision at today’s plenary.
He also stated that his colleagues were getting ready for today’s plenary, and that many senators had already signed the veto notice.
Sections 58 (4 & 5) of the 1999 Constitution state this. This will be accomplished through the use of our skills. And they insist that people vote in person. “Our rule gives us three voting options.
There are several methods of voting available, including voice voting, document signing (signature), and electronic voting. As a result, we can use whoever we want. We collected signatures in the chamber, and it is bipartisan.”
Senator Abba Morro criticized the president’s reasoning for rejecting the bill, saying, “In my opinion and in the opinion of the majority of senators, the reasons given by the president to withhold assent are insufficient, because all stakeholders have acknowledged the fact that the amended electoral act, as it is today, contains fantastic provisions that could deepen democracy.”
“It would be extremely regrettable if we rejected the amended electoral bill due to the direct primary.”
If the president rejects the will of the people because of the direct primary, I can assure you that my colleagues and I are prepared to override the president this time.”
Other senators, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the lawmakers intended to override the veto on Tuesday, but were thwarted by some of their colleagues, who saw it as an embarrassment to the president and would not allow it to happen.
“Yes, our initial plan was to override President Buhari’s veto on the electoral bill, but they truncated it in the process,” one senator said.
Also read: Electoral Bill: Direct Primaries is Undemocratic- President Buhari
So, we’ll return on Wednesday and pick up where we left off.”
Another senator explained that he and his colleagues were attempting to override the president, but the Senate President began to say that it was not a just cause.
When asked if there was a plan to override Buhari, another senator responded, “That’s what we want to do,” adding that only three APC senators were not present yesterday.
He was, however, optimistic that they would sign today.
On whether it was necessary to carry House of Representatives members along, a ranking senator stated, “We have a majority of the willing team in the House of Representatives because the idea of direct primaries originated in the lower chamber and was sold to us in the Senate.”
However, the Speaker stated during the year’s final plenary, “This year, despite differences of opinion, all of us in the House of Representatives, and indeed, the entire National Assembly, worked to pass the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.”
We included provisions in that bill that we hoped would significantly improve the conduct of our national elections and boost public confidence in our electoral outcomes.
As of now, that bill has not received presidential assent, and it is up to parliament to determine the best course of action.”
When we return in the new year, we will resume our efforts to reform our country’s electoral system.
And we’re going to do it together.
That is what the Nigerian people expect of us, and we will fulfill our responsibilities to God and our country.
“However it turns out, we must not throw out the baby with the bathwater and instead provide Nigerians with a credible and long-lasting electoral system.”
Every law is a living document that must survive as long as it has breath.”
He assured Nigerians that the Appropriation Bill 2022 would be passed by the House yesterday, in keeping with the new tradition of operating an annual national budget from January to December.
Gbajabiamila stated that the ninth National Assembly sought to improve the appropriations process with each budget cycle in order to ensure more effective and efficient allocation and use of national resources.
He noted that the recurring challenge was determining how to best ensure that the federal government’s ministries, departments, and agencies strictly adhered to the appropriation law.
This, the speaker said, was a major source of concern, especially given the country’s limited resources and significant developmental challenges.
“However, one thing is now abundantly clear: the legislature must act to reform the current envelope system because it imposes conditions that do not promote optimal outcomes.”
“At the same time, we must consider options for merging agencies where there is significant overlap in functions and responsibilities, as well as scrapping other institutions where their utility is no longer apparent,” he said.
While the House has adjourned until January and promised to revisit the issue when it reconvenes, it has also stated that if the Senate overrides the president, it will recall its members immediately.
