Reps Will Reintroduce Electoral Act Amendment Bill On Wednesday – Gbajabiamila

Following agitation by Nigerians for an Electoral law ahead of the 2023 General Elections, the House of Representatives on Tuesday announced that it would reintroduce the 2021 Electroal Act amendment Bill on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 for speedy consideration.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who announced the position of the lower chamber of the National Assembly on resumption from its Christmas and New Year recess, stressed that with less than 13 months to the 2023 General Elections, what Nigerians desired is a credible electoral law.

He assured that members of the House have resolved to rework the bill and send back to the President for his assent as quickly as possible.

Gbajabiamila said while addressing his colleagues on resumption that the direct primary option was introduced into the bill to pave the way for party members to fully participate in the nomination of candidates of their choice.

The Speaker also said that the first set of amendments to the 1999 Constitution being worked on by the House will be sent to State Houses of Assembly for concurrence before the end of February 2022.

Gbajabiamila described as unfortunate the failure of the political parties to have standard register of members which is being used to deny Nigerians the opportunity to participate in the nomination of candidates for elections.

In the words of Gbajabiamila; “The failure of the political parties to maintain credible registers violates the 1999 Constitution as it makes it difficult for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to properly monitor activities of parties”.

The Speaker noted that adopting the direct primary option would have forced political parties to have credible registers of members.