Buhari throws out amended Electoral Act
News & Trends •
president muhammadu buhari has rejected the amended electoral bill sent for his signature by the national assembly1 the bill provides for the presidential election to come last after national assembly and governorship elections1 buhari notified the senate about his action in a letter dated march 3 2018 which was read by the president of the senate dr bukola saraki during plenary1 the president said he withheld his assent to the bill because the amendment to the sequence of the elections in section 25 of the principal act might infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of inec1 he stated that the section guaranteed the inec to organise undertake and supervise all the elections as provided in section 15 a of the third schedule to the constitution1 the amendment to section 138 of the principal act to delete two crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by candidates unduly limits rights of candidates in elections to a free and fair electoral review process1 the amendment to section 152 325 of the principal act may raise constitutional issues over the competence of the national assembly to legislate over local government elections1 please accept mr senatepresident the assurances of my highest consideration the president stated1 while the independent national electoral commission put the presidential election as the first to be held during the general election the national assembly wants it held last1