From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The National Assembly on Friday transmitted the Electoral Bill 2021 to President Muhammadu Buhari. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), confirmed the development in a one paragraph statement made available to State House Correspondent in Abuja.
The statement reads: “Transmission of The Electoral Bill 2021. Please be informed that in pursuance of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004, the National Assembly has transmitted the Electoral Bill 2021 to Mr. President today Friday November 19, 2021.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, had on Thursday, met with President Buhari, where he sought his support for direct primaries, as well as urging him to sign the recently passed electoral amendment bill into law.
Many state governors, across the two main parties as well as the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are against direct primaries and have urged the president not to sign it into law because of the clause that mandates political parties to conduct direct primaries in selecting candidates.