The Red Chamber of the National Assembly has passed the harmonised version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The passage followed the consideration of the report of the Conference Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on the bill.
But, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is saying that it has rejected the passage of the harmonised electoral act amendment bill, which among other things, provides for direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for elections by political parties.
The opposition party says it is the inalienable right of each political party, within the context of the constitutional democracy, to decide its form of internal democratic practices including the processes of nominating its candidates for elections at any level.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said, “it believes that no political party should force its own processes on any other political party as the direct primaries amendment, a practice of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sought to achieve.
“Having stated this, PDP shall, within the next 48 hours, make its final decision in respect of this amendment known.”
However, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, last October 13, constituted a seven-man conference committee to meet with their counterparts in the House of Representatives to harmonize the differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill.
Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, who chaired the Conference Committee in the Senate, presented the report on the harmonized version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In his presentation, he said the bill when passed by the National Assembly, and subsequently signed into law by the President, will regulate the conduct of Federal, State and Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.
He disclosed that the Conference Committee at its retreat, considered and adopted 21 clauses in the bill.
“It is imperative to point out that with the successful harmonization of this bill, a process that started from the 7th Assembly through to the 8th National Assembly has now been completed by the 9th National Assembly.
“The bill is now ready for passage and Presidential assent.
“I am happy to state that most of what we call “citizens top priorities” on the Electoral Act Amendment, including the use of technology have been addressed by the Electoral Bill, 2021”, the Senate Leader said.
The chamber on October 13, 2021, re-amended certain aspects of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill contained in Clauses 43, 52, 63 and 87, respectively.
The re-amendment to the clauses was duly carried out amid a motion for re-committal sponsored by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.
Accordingly, while adopting the conference committee report on Tuesday, the Senate approved the re-amended clauses to provide for direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.
It also empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Clause 63 to determine the procedure for voting and transmission of results during an election.
