President Muhammadu Buhari has written a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, seeking comments from the electoral body over the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which was passed by the National Assembly, on November 9, 2021.
President Buhari, who received the bill on November 19, has until December 19 to assent to it or communicate to the National Assembly his feelings and comments about the new electoral bill.
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According to the letters of the Nigerian Constitution, if after 30 days, the President refuses to assent the bill and the National Assembly is not in support of the President’s amendments, the Senate and the House of Representatives could recall the bill and pass it.
If the bill is passed in the form it was sent to the President by two-thirds majority votes in both chambers, the bill automatically becomes a law even without the assent of the President.
Aso Rock Villa sources, however, said that President Buhari saw no problem with the bill but was only seeking advice from INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) on it.
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An INEC source also said, “We received a letter from the President last week regarding INEC’s position on the Electoral Act amendment especially as regards the controversial direct primaries which many governors have kicked against.
“We are supposed to respond within seven days. I know that a response will be sent to the President anytime from now.”
