From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja

THE House of Representatives, yesterday, passed for Second Reading, a Bill for an Act to make provisions to cover a lacuna in the event of the death of a governor- ship candidate anytime

before conclusion of an election. The bill also seeks to amend the 2010 Electoral Act to empower election tribunals and courts to declare candidates who scored the second highest votes as winners of elections when the tribunal or courts finds the winner of an election unqualified for election, abinitio.

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In addition, the bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila of the All Progresives Congress (APC) and six others seeks inclusion of the Card Reader as part of the Electoral Act as well as ensure

that all political parties are gender sensitive and eliminate all forms dis- crimination in political parties. Speaking on the bill, Gbajabiamila described it as a proactive measure to prevent a re-occurrence of the 2015 Kogi governorship election debacle.