Presidency says National Assembly will not override Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 

The Presidency says it is unlikely that the National Assembly will override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill because of party allegiance.

A presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, in a one-on-one interview with “Sunday Politics”, on Channels TV, said that it would be irresponsible of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to do so contradict Mr Buhari’s stance on the controversial bill.

“Well let’s not forget that this National Assembly particularly is made of more than 70, about 80 per cent of APC members and you don’t have a party kicking against itself.

“It is not like the last National Assembly in which you had the opposition coming from the party. No, this is a more responsive and responsible National Assembly and they will do what is good for our democracy. They will do what is good for the party. They will do what is good for the country.

APC, the president’s party, controls the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Buhari, last week, declined assent to the Electoral Bill, 30 days after it was transmitted to him by the legislature on 19 November.

He cited insecurity, the cost of conducting direct primaries and infringement on the rights of Nigerians to participate in governance as his reasons for declining assent to the bill.

Some of the lawmakers across party lines, before going on holidays, threatened to veto the president’s decision after resumption in January 2022.

“Well, overriding a veto is part of democracy or is it the expedient thing to do at a particular time? That is the question. That is what the APC will use its majority in the National Assembly to determine. Is it expedient to override the president? If it is not, then what are the other options? That is what needs to be looked at?” Adesina downplayed the likelihood of the lawmakers executing their threats, given the fact that the APC has a majority of members in both chambers.