Following the signing of the Electoral Amendment Bill Into Law by President Muhammadu Buhari, there have been agitations again to re-amend the bill.
According to reports, the National Assembly is divided over the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja that stopped President Buhari and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; and the parliament from tampering with the Electoral Act, 2022.
This has caused argument in the Senate, as the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan reportedly insisted on going ahead to consider the request by the President, to delete Section 84(14) of the new electoral law, which states that, ‘No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election’; while the House said it would obey the court ruling.
In reaction to this, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, reportedly made it known on Tuesday that the chamber would obey the rule of law principle.
Lawan on his part stated, “I find it necessary to talk about this at this point, because our governance system is based on the presidential system of government, where there is clear cut separation and exercise of powers.”
He noted, “The judiciary, under no circumstance, cannot stop the National Assembly from performing its legislative duties. We know what our due processes are, just like we wouldn’t venture into what the judiciary does, and it should also understand that we have our processes.”
He added, “If the President writes to the National Assembly to request an amendment, that is within his powers and it is for the National Assembly to decide whether or not it agrees with the request of Mr President. But to say that we cannot consider it is to ask for what is not there to be given. I believe that the members of this National Assembly know their work and will do what is right.”
He made it known that “This has nothing to do with what happens in the court.”
https://punchng.com/electoral-act-court-cant-stop-amendment-says-lawan/?amp
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