The House of Representatives will hold an emergency plenary session on Wednesday to correct a fundamental error in the Electoral Act 2022.
Yahaya Danzaria, Clerk to the House disclosed this in a notice to lawmakers and staff of the Green Chamber on Tuesday.
“This is to inform all Hon Members, staff, media and the general public that the House hereby reconvenes for an emergency plenary session tomorrow, Wednesday, 11th May, 2022 at 11:00am.
“This session has become necessary especially to amend a fundamental error in the Electoral Act. The House regrets this short notice and implores all Members to be present,” the notice read.
Though the specific error to the corrected was not mentioned, BusinessDay learnt it is in section
84(8) of the Electoral Act which failed to recognise statutory delegates for indirect primaries.
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Ovie Omoagege, deputy senate president had sponsored a bill to amend the recently enacted act which was considered and passed by the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.
In the current Electoral Act, statutory delegates are not recognised, hence the new amendment seeks to include statutory delegates in the act.
The act reads; “(8) A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting.”
However, the proposed amendment would provide that “in addition to statutory delegates prescribed in the Constitution of the party.”
Statutory delegates in many political parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) in serving and former presidents; governors, members of the National and Statement Assembly, as well as elected party officials.
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