JUST IN: Buhari declines assent to amendment to Electoral Act bill

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the amended
timetable for 2019 elections.

The president’s rejection was contained in a letter read Tuesday
on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by Senate President
Bukola Saraki.

Some senators had rejected the amended timetable saying that
Buhari is the target.

But in the letter, the president said amending section 25 of the
electoral act would infringe on the “constitutionally guaranteed
discretion” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
to organise, undertake and supervise elections.

“Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the constitution of the federal
republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the
senate, my decision, on 3rd March 2018, to decline presidential
assent to the electoral amendment bill 2018 recently passed by the
national assembly,” the letter read.

“Some of my reasons include the following -the amendment to the
sequence of elections in Section 25 of the principal act, may
infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize,
undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the
third statue to the constitution.

“The amend to section 138 of the principal act to delete two
crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by
candidates, unduly limits the rights of candidates in elections to
a free and fair electoral review process;

“The amendment to section 152 subsection 325 of the principal
act may raise constitutional issues over the competence of the
national assembly to legislate over local government
elections.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the amended
timetable for 2019 elections.

The president’s rejection was contained in a letter read Tuesday
on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by Senate President
Bukola Saraki.

Some senators had rejected the amended timetable saying that
Buhari is the target.

But in the letter, the president said amending section 25 of the
electoral act would infringe on the “constitutionally guaranteed
discretion” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
to organise, undertake and supervise elections.

“Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the constitution of the federal
republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the
senate, my decision, on 3rd March 2018, to decline presidential
assent to the electoral amendment bill 2018 recently passed by the
national assembly,” the letter read.

“Some of my reasons include the following -the amendment to the
sequence of elections in Section 25 of the principal act, may
infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize,
undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the
third statue to the constitution.

“The amend to section 138 of the principal act to delete two
crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by
candidates, unduly limits the rights of candidates in elections to
a free and fair electoral review process;

“The amendment to section 152 subsection 325 of the principal
act may raise constitutional issues over the competence of the
national assembly to legislate over local government
elections.”