President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reminded the National Assembly to revise a controversial clause in the Electoral Act 2022.
The clause bars appointees from voting or being voted for at party conventions and congresses. President Buhari’s reminder was contained in his request asking the Senate to amend the Electoral Act which he assented to last Friday.
The lawmakers approved the reworked Electoral Act Amended Bill on January 25 and passed it for the President’s assent on January 30.
Buhari’s request was contained in a memo dated February 28, and read on the floor during plenary yesterday by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
In the letter, the President called the chamber’s attention to the provisions of Section 84(12), which, according to him, constitutes a “defect” that is warring against extant Constitutional provisions.
According to him, Section 84(12) of the Act constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the election.
