Buhari Rejects Electoral Act Amendment As Saraki Reads Letter

By Jide Afolabi, Jos

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the amendment made to the electoral act by the National Assembly.

The president rejected the amendment to the electoral act based on three constitutional issues according to the letter of rejection read by the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki at the plenary today, Tuesday. Same letter has been communicated to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and expected to be read in the House of Representatives between today and Thursday.

He said he rejected the bill based on section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The letter dated March 3, 2018 was read after a closed session that lasted for about 30 minutes. The session started by 11.07am and ended by 11.36am. At end of the session, Senators were seen in groups discussing the issue.

The amended act aimed to change the country’s elections sequence which many Nigerians believed was done in bad faith by the legislators.

Upon the passage of the bill by the National Assembly, several Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), senior lawyers and other notable Nigerians condemned the amendment and urged the president not to sign it.