Jan. 19, 2022

The Nigerian Senate has now amended Clause 84 to allow for direct, indirect, and consensus options of nominating party candidates for party elections.

The direct primary clause had earlier hindered the assent to the bill.

Recall that on Tuesday, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila said that the leadership of the House plans to reintroduce the Electoral Amendment Act Bill on Jan. 19 for consideration.

He added that the House would work quickly to address the mitigating concerns, pass the bill and send it back to the President for assent.

The planned reintroduction of the Bill followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign it after it was passed by the National Assembly in 2021.

The President had frown at the mandatory direct party primaries mode imposed on all political parties at the bill, which appeared undemocratic.

Gbajabiamila, however, said that he remained convinced that direct primary election was valuable for building accountability in the political system.

“But we must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Therefore, the House will reintroduce the amendment.

“On issues relating to inelegant drafting and other technical errors in the Bill, this is a matter of concern as it appears the version sent to the President differs from what is circulating in the public domain.