The Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters, on Monday, commenced the process of amending the 2018 Electoral Amendment Bill for the fourth time.

Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif, who disclosed this in Abuja said that the lawmakers plan to ensure the bill is signed into law before the 2019 election.

He said that the action was necessitated by the failure of President Buhari to assent the three previous bills.

He said: “I know that this committee is in the eye of the storm and Nigerians are desirous and expecting to hear from us. Here we are, again, trying to address the Electoral Act for the fourth time.

“Nigerians will recall that there was a first Electoral Act (amendment bill), the second and the third one. And if we pass this one, it will be the fourth one. I believe that what we are doing is in the best interest of this country. It will address all the fears, and we will ensure that we equip INEC with what is necessary and what will ensure free and fair elections in 2019.”

He stated that he could not mention the sections to be worked on by the joint committee, saying that the committee would explain details on Tuesday (today).

He stated: “I will not be in a position right now to address the press and I don't think any member of this committee is in a position to address the press.

“We will have to look at what transpired (concerning the bill) in an executive session and tomorrow by 11 am, we will call all press men and we will tell you in detail what transpired and the position this committee has taken,” he added.

It would be recalled that the first version of the bill forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari in February this year by the federal lawmakers was rejected as a result of introduction of new sequence of election provided for in section 25(1) of the bill.

The second version forwarded to the President in June after removal of the new sequence of elections provisions, was outrightly vetoed by the President by not considering it in any way before it got constitutionally expired on his table on the 26th of July, 2018.

However, the President, in his rejection of the third one on the 2nd of this month, explained to the National Assembly via a letter yet to be read, that it was based on some drafting errors that cannot be corrected by him.

Buhari, in the letter as disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, promised to sign the bill if the identified errors are corrected and forwarded back to him.

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