Electoral Bill: Buhari meets Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Yakubu, swears in new INEC commissioners

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with top members of the National Assembly led by Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajaboamila, speaker of the House of Representative over the Electoral amendment Bill, 2022.

There was however no official statement on the outcome of the meeting, as the President proceeded to swear in new commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), shortly before presiding over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council FEC.

Recall that the Presidency had on Monday revealed that the President was yet to sign the Electoral amendment Bill, as he was still consulting stakeholders.

At the meeting on Wednesday, Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, was sighted as the President swore in new set of INEC Commissioners, recently approved by the National Assembly

The new INEC commissioners sworn in by the President shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Council Chambers include, Mohammed Haruna, May Agbamuche-Mbu, Ukaegbu Kenneth Nnnamdi, A.B. Alkali, a retired Major General, Rhoda Gumus and Sam Olumekun.

Businessday gathered that the presence of the high level officials of the Legislative Arm of government had raised hopes that the Bill would receive the President’s assent.

The President however proceeded to swear in the newly approved INEC Commissioner without making any statement on the Electoral amendment Bill.

The Presidency had on Monday revealed that the President has until the 1st of March, 2022 to assent to the Bill while urging Nigerians to patiently await the outcome of the current consultations.

Read also: Democracy in jeopardy as Buhari sits on Electoral Bill

The bill which was passed recently was sent to the President for his assent on the 31st of January.

The delays in assenting to the Bill has attracted reactions from concerned stakeholders who urged the President to sign the Bill as it will give directions to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the conduct of elections, especially the 2023 general elections.

The bill which was earlier passed by the National Assembly, was rejected by the President over disputes on direct mode of primary election enshrined in the bill by the National Assembly

It was returned, reworked and returned to the President based on stakeholders “ agreement” to amend the relevant offensive parts of the initial Bill.

Issues addressed in the new Bill include the controversy over direct and indirect primary election methods.

The direct primary allows all approved registered members of a party to vote for who they want to be the candidate of their party in the main elections

On the other hand, the indirect primary election allows only delegates selected by the party to decide who will be the party’s candidate.

A third clause was however added to the new amendment which is the consensus, which allows the party to select those they want without necessarily subjecting it to the election process

But in a statement on Monday, Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina said the President still has enough time before the 30 days window provided by the Constitution for his assent.

Adesina however noted that some interest groups are cashing in on what they consider a delay in the signing of the Electoral Bill into law “to foment civil disorder and muddy the waters”

The President however failed to name the group, but assured that “ the right thing will be dove at the right time”

According to him, “One can just pity their ignorance of Constitutional requirements, as the President has a window of 30 days within which to sign the Bill, or decline assent, after it had been transmitted to him by the National Assembly.

“It is on record that the amended Bill was sent to the Presidency on January 31, 2022, which means that the Executive could do due diligence on it till March 1, as prescribed by the Constitution.

He posited that “ a proposed legislation that has to do with the electoral fortunes of the country needs to be thoroughly scrutinized, and be made as near-perfect as possible.

“Those playing cheap politics with it are, therefore, encouraged to hold their peace, knowing that the right thing will be done within the lawful time”