December 22, (THEWILL) – Senate plenary session resumed on Wednesday with lawmakers going into a closed-door session.
The discussions in the session may likely center on threats by some senators to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
THEWILL had reported that Senator George Sekibo confirmed earlier on Tuesday that the lawmakers were gathering signatories to override the President’s veto of the Electoral Bill.
He said 73 signatures have so far been compiled. But the 109-member Senate will require a two-thirds majority to veto the bill into law.
President Buhari had on Tuesday written the Senate and the House of Representatives, withholding assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment bill that was passed by the National Assembly.
The president described the imposition of direct primaries, as approved by the National Assembly, for picking candidates by political parties in the amended Electoral Act as a violation of the spirit of democracy.
According to Buhari, with direct primaries, there will be a plethora of litigation from party members and stakeholders, just as he said that allowing the process would fuel corruption as well as encourage over monetization.
President Buhari’s position was conveyed in a letter addressed to both the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and read during the start of plenary yesterday.
President Buhari in the letter dated December 13, 2021, explained that his decision to withhold assent to the electoral bill was informed by advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government after a thorough review.
According to the President, signing the bill into law would have serious adverse legal, financial, economic and security consequences on the country, particularly in view of Nigeria’s peculiarities.
He added that it would also impact negatively on the rights of citizens to participate in the government as constitutionally ensured.
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