Nigerian elections are likely to run on a new body of rules and regulations, ahead of the expected general elections in 2023, when the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is signed into law this week.
Speaking on the Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday, Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, stated that President Buhari is committed to granting his assent to the Bill very soon, and definitely within the 30 days allowed under the Constitution.
Femi Adesina said, “It could be signed today; it could be signed tomorrow. In a matter of hours, not days. Hours could be 24 hours, it could be 48 hours; not days, not weeks.”
Lamprace is aware that, consequent on President Buhari’s refusal to sign the Bill which mandated direct primaries on all the political parties, the National Assembly expunged sections of the Electoral Bill, considered unacceptable to the president.
On January 31, 2022, a further amended version of the Electoral Bill as transmitted it to the President for signing.
Under the operating constitutional framework in Nigeria, the president is required to grant his assent, or indicate his refusal to grant assent whereof, within a 30 day-window of the passage of a Bill by the National Assembly. The 30-day window will close on March 1st.
Yesterday, the presidency had condemned the flurry of social media angst against President Muhammadu Buhari for his alleged demeanour not to advance electoral reforms.
