Checkout Magazine has learned that the National Assembly is under pressure to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and YIAGA Africa, had advised that the bill be given legal tooth by the parliament through a two-third majority vote of members.
However, the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike differed saying that the National Assembly could not reverse the President’s decision.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Faith Nwadishi, the CTA urged the National Assembly to, in the “spirit of patriotism, upturn the President’s decision as “a way to conducting free, fair, and credible elections that will stand the taste of the time.”
The group accused President Buhari of taking interest in mundane things ”that will benefit a few members of his cabal, instead of improving our elections and the integrity of the electoral process.”
CTA said that it was worrisome that Buhari decided to toe the same path as he did in 2018.
The statement reads in part: ”Recall that in 2018, President Buhari failed to assent to the bill as amended then with the excuse that the time was too close to the 2019 general elections.
“The delay until this time confirmed the fears that the provisions envisaged by the citizens and expectations thereof may be dashed by the actions of the president. Laws are made for the interest and benefit of the people and not for those in power.
“The reasoning by the President concerning the provisions on party primaries should not be held unto to truncate the wishes of Nigerians.”
Director of Programmes for YIAGA, Cynthia Mbamalu, said since Buhari “is failing Nigerians,” the National Assembly ought to use its constitutional power to override him.
