The Upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously voted against the Bill seeking to amend Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on the 28th of February, 2022, written to the Senate after assenting to the Electoral Act, to amend Section 84(12) of the Act.
The Section states that “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
Buhari had in his letter to the Senate drew the attention of lawmakers to the provisions of Section 84(12), which, according to him, constitutes a “defect” that is in conflict with extant Constitutional provisions.
According to him, Section 84(12) of the Act constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at Conventions or Congresses of any Political Party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the Election.
All efforts, however, by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the plenary, to ensure that the Bill passed second reading was ignored as the senators unanimously voted against the Bill.
The Senate has vehemently jettisoned President Muhammdu Buhari’s Bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 2022 and for related matters, 2022,” was overwhelming rejected by Senators, a development that effectively stopped its second reading.
The Bill was thrown out on Wednesday during plenary
Recall that the Bill had on Tuesday scaled first reading despite a court order stopping the Senate from acting on it.
The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan had challenged the Court order saying that the Judiciary cannot in any circumstances stop the Legislature from performing its constitutional duties.
Prior to the commencement of consideration of the Bill on Wednesday, Senator Adamu Aliero, APC, Kebbi while citing order 52(5) of the Senate Standing Rules, urged the President of the Sebate to throw away the proposed action on the Bill.
But Lawan who was however adamant, reiterated his position that only Senators may reject the Bill and not the judiciary seeking to stop the chamber from performing its lawful duties through an order.
Senators however voted overwhelmingly against the Bill to stop it from being read a second time.
