Breaking: Senate expunges controversial direct primary clause from Electoral Amendment Bill
The Nigerian Senate has removed the controversial direct primary clause from the 2021 Electoral Amendment Bill.
The Senate at its plenary on Wednesday removed the Clause 84 of the Bill that makes direct primary mandatory for the election of candidates in political parties from the electoral amendment Bill.
Periscope International reports that the Senate had in late 2021 passed a version of the bill and transmitted it to President Muhammadu for his assent but he declined it citing the the inclusion of the clause among others in the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The president had explained that the mandatory use of direct primaries for all political parties in the country would be too expensive to execute, adding that it would put a financial burden on Nigeria’s slim resources.
He also expressed fears that the proposed mandatory use of direct primaries would amount to the violation of citizens’ rights that would be violated and lead to marginalisation for smaller political parties.
The president had therefore advised the National Assembly to look into those areas of concern and transmit the bill to him for assent.
The House of Representatives speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and Senate president Ahmad Lawan had on Tuesday said the National Assembly would work on the proposed legislation and send it to the president.
