· NASS leaders may meet president, downplay override option

· Presidency still hasn’t returned bill to legislature

With only five work days remaining for President Muhammadu Buhari to sign or reject the controversial Electoral Act Amendment Bill, many federal lawmakers are anxiously waiting for news from the Presidency on the bill, The Nation learnt last night.

The leadership of the two chambers are said to be considering a fresh meeting with the President on the matter as soon as possible.

The Nation also gathered that contrary to speculations, the National Assembly had not received any message from the Presidency as at last night, rejecting the bill.

Earlier reports that the President had declined assent to the bill had sparked palpable confusion in the polity.

Spokesmen of the Senate and House of Representatives have denied knowledge of President Buhari’s alleged rejection letter, insisting that the President was yet to communicate any decision on the bill to the National Assembly as at weekend.

The presidency too is yet to confirm or deny the existence of the alleged rejection letter.

The President has up till Sunday, December 19 to sign the bill into law.

But in the event of him declining to append his signature to the bill, the lawmakers with two-thirds majority can veto the President and pass the bill into law.

However, National Assembly sources told The Nation yesterday that the federal lawmakers were not about to engage the President in any duel on the bill by overriding his decision at the expiration of the deadline.

One of the sources said: “Just as I can confidently tell you, we are not about to dump our support for the direct primary clause. What I am sure of is that as legislators who know our onions, we will not act based on mere rumours and speculations.

“We are still waiting for the President to communicate his decision to us. He is yet to formally do that and whatever speculations are out there, we will not be pushed into taking any action based on that.

“I can confide in you, you know I am not authorised to speak on this matter, but I can tell you our leaders have been talking and we have also been discussing this matter amongst ourselves.”

Another source, a ranking Senator from the Southwest, said it was most unlikely that either of the two sides (executive and legislature) would be interested in a face-off over the electoral bill when dialogue could still bring about a resolution of the current stalemate.

His words: “There is no crisis between the National Assembly and the President. Don’t forget we all belong to the same party.

“We as leaders of the National Assembly are not eager to wait till December 19 and override the President as many people are hoping. We have had a very cordial relationship with our President and we are not about to forfeit that over this issue.

“One card that is very much on the table as I speak with you is for the leadership of the National Assembly to ignore all the rumours and speculations flying around and seek audience with Mr. President on the fate of the Bill before him.

“That way, the two parties can discuss their differences, if any, and see if they can be resolved amicably. There is no crisis at all.”

Yet another source said the amended bill sent to the President had not been returned to the National Assembly as at last night.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan had earlier said the expectation of members of the National Assembly was that Buhari would sign Electoral Bill 2021 into law.

He urged the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to engage all stakeholders in order to resolve any form of disagreement and assuage the feelings of those who may not be happy over the direct primary option.

Last week, after a meeting with the President, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila also said the President was in support of the direct primary which allows all card-carrying members of political parties to be involved in the choice of candidates for major elections. He expressed optimism that Buhari would sign the Bill without delay.

The President had written a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, seeking advice over the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.

Buhari in a November 29, 2021 letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, requested the INEC chairman, the office of the Vice President, Attorney-General of the Federation, Finance Minister and the Inspector General of Police to provide considered views on the bill by Friday, December 3, 2021.

The commission in its reply reportedly enjoined the President to assent to the bill as passed by the National Assembly.

The most contentious issue in the bill is the recommendation that the political parties should adopt direct primaries for the purpose of picking their candidates for elective offices.

The proposal is vehemently opposed by governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who see the recommendation of direct primary as an attempt by the lawmakers to reduce the influence and power of governors in the affairs of the party.

The PDP caucuses in the two chambers are also opposed to the bill.

They claim their members were not given ample opportunities during debate to air their views. (Courtesy The Nation)

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