Uncertainty from Presidency over Buhari’s refusal to sign the re-worked Electoral Act Amendment Bill 

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to sign the re-worked Electoral Act Amendment Bill according to his aides but even the aides seem uncertain when the bill will be signed into law.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television breakfast programme.

“He (Buhari) will sign it (the bill) any moment from now,” he said while appearing as a guest on the  “It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be anytime, but within the 30 days.

“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.”

This comes nearly a month after lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers of the National Assembly passed the harmonised version of the bill.

Passed on January 25, the bill was transmitted to President Buhari a week after, as confirmed by his Senior Special Assistant on NASS Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare.

Adesina slammed those accusing the President of delaying the signing of the bill, stressing that the Nigerian leader’s action was still within the requirements of the Constitution.

He stated that it would only be appropriate to say President Buhari has acted against the law if exceeds the 30-day window provided by the law.

“You know before the President will put pen to paper on any legislation, particularly this one that has to do with our electoral fortunes, it has to be looked at and looked at.

“He has to buy opinions from different stakeholders and having been satisfied that the necessary due diligence had been done and he will not be making any error, then he will sign it, and I tell you that Nigerians will get to hear about this bill in hours,” Adesina said.

President Buhari had withheld his assent to the bill in November 2021, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections, security challenges, and possible manipulation of electoral processes by political players as part of the reasons for his decision.

He, however, gave some conditions to give his assent, prompting the lawmakers to re-work the bill which initially led to the emergence of two versions from the green and red chambers of the assembly.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari is unwilling to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The presidency had on February 10 said President Buhari is desirous to assent to the bill and is still consulting with critical stakeholders on whether to sign the electoral act amendment bill or not.

Buh the PDP governors in a communique issued after their meeting which was held in Bayelsa State asked Buhari to sign the document.

“The PDP Governors urged Mr President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law,” the communique signed by the 11 governors read.

“Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.”

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM AT THE END OF THEIR MEETING IN YENAGOA   BAYELSA STATE

The PDP Governors’ Forum held its regular meeting on Monday, 14th February 2022, at the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa.  The meeting reviewed once again the state of the nation, the readiness of the PDP to rescue the nation from APC misrule and issued the following Communique:

1. The PDP Governors urged Mr. President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr. President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.
2. The Governors congratulated PDP for winning 43 out of 62 Councillorship positions in the Abuja Area Council election results, just concluded. Inspite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible. They urged INEC to tighten all observed loopholes and further improve the functioning of the BIVAS Machine for future elections.
3. The Governors expressed their displeasure on the issue of contaminated Fuel supplied to Nigerians and urged the government to bring perpetrators to account.
4. The Governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC-led Federal Government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption and ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. They called for a proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.
5. The Forum welcomed the Court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State and urged the Federal Government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account.

In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to States and Local Government.

6. The Forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN is being run as an alternate government, indeed, a government within a Government. It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant.
7. The Forum once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC operations. They called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the federation account.
8. As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of the Constitution Review exercise, the Forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the States and Local Governments.

This opportunity to rejig the framework for policing and securing Nigeria should not be missed. To this end, the Forum would set up a Panel of Consultants to have a thorough look at the security architecture of Nigeria and make recommendations.

The Governors also urged the National Assembly to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent List.

9. The PDP Governors congratulated His Excellency, Governor Douye Diri on his second anniversary in office as he has made a positive difference for the people of Bayelsa State. They thanked him for being such a gracious and wonderful host.

In attendance are:

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu                                                      – Abia State         – Vice-Chairman

Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri                         -Adamawa State              -Member

Gov. Udom Emmanuel                                  – Akwa Ibom State – Member

Gov. Bala Mohammed                                   -Bauchi State     – Member

Gov. Sen. Douye Diri                                      – Bayelsa State – Member

Gov. Samuel Ortom                                                        -Benue State     -Member

Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa                                                 – Delta State       – Member

Gov. Godwin Obaseki                                    – Edo State          -Member

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi                                  – Enugu State     – Member

Gov. Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde      – Oyo State         – Member

Gov. Nyesom Wike, CON                                             – Rivers State     – Member