The National Assembly has passed the harmonized version of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
This was after it considered the report of its conference committee.
The bill gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the procedure for the transmission of election results and also approves direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.
The Senate and House of Representatives have passed different versions of the bill in July, after which both chambers set up conference committees to harmonise the grey areas.
The bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, gives INEC the sole power to transmit results of elections by electronic means “where and when practicable”.
The Red Chamber’s version, which subjected INEC powers on transmission of results to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), had generated outrage.
Barely two months after, the Senate amended some clauses of the bill, including Section 52, giving INEC the sole power to determine the procedure for the transmission of results during elections, Daily Trust reports.
Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi, who chaired the conference committee, and his co-chairman, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, presented the harmonised report on the floor of both chambers during plenary yesterday.
Senator Abdullahi said the bill, when assented to by the president, would regulate the conduct of federal, state and area councils in the Federal Capital Territory elections.
He said the conference committee, at its retreat, considered and adopted 21 clauses in the bill.
He said, “It is imperative to point out that with the successful harmonization of this bill, a process that started from the 7th Assembly through to the 8th National Assembly has now been completed by the 9th National Assembly.”
The House of Representatives said the harmonised version of the bill would be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent next week.
The House spokesman, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia), disclosed this while briefing journalists after plenary yesterday.
Meanwhile, the presidency last night explained how the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo resolved the impasse over direct primaries. There was disagreement between the lawmakers and governors who are members of the APC over the adoption of direct primaries mode.
An enlarged meeting of the tripartite committee of the APC consisting, the executive, legislature and the party officials met at the State House yesterday.
At the end of the meeting, the Political Adviser to the President, Babafemi Ojudu, said direct primaries was upheld as the vice president played the role of a conciliator when tension was high and emotions predominated in a statement posted on his Facebook wall.
“The resolution tonight of tripartite meeting is victory for party internal democracy. Tension was high. Emotions predominated but the Vice President was able to play the role of a great conciliator.
“While the younger elements in the House of Representatives were vehement and uncompromising in the expression of their preference, the Senators were calm but resolute.
“The VP laid out the reasons for calling the meeting and allowed the parties to ventilate
“It was a victory for the party, the governors and the legislators. We should commend the party leaders for reaching an agreement in a democratic manner,” he said.
Speaking after the meeting, a serving senator and former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, said what the National Assembly had done on direct primaries was the best decision for the country.
But Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, who also spoke after the meeting, said the executive was concerned over the failure to provide alternatives to direct primaries.
Reacting to the passage of the bill, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the passage and adoption of direct primaries, saying no party has right to impose its processes on another.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement last night, said the party would within the next 48 hours make its final decision known on the matter.
“ Our party holds that it is the inalienable right of each political party, within the context of our constitutional democracy, to decide its form of internal democratic practices including the processes of nominating its candidates for elections at any level.
“ The PDP also believes that no political party should force its own processes on any other political party as the direct primaries amendment, a practice of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sought to achieve,” it stated.
