Senate, House consult as Buhari rejects elections reordering

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President Muhammadu Buhari has withheld his assent to the
Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which seeks to re-order the sequence
of polls in 2019.

Buhari, in a March 8, 2018 letter written to both chambers of
the National Assembly, said the amendments by the lawmakers were in
conflict with existing laws.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the letter on the
floor of the upper chamber on Tuesday.

At the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara,
read the letter to lawmakers.

The letter read, “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 Act Amendment Bill 2018
recently passed by the National Assembly.

“Some of my reasons for withholding assent to the bill include
the following: the amendment to the sequence of the elections in
Section 25 of the principal Act may infringe upon the
constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the Independent National
Electoral Commission to organise, undertake and supervise all
elections provided in Section 15(a) of the Third Schedule of the
Constitution.

“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 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.”

A new Section 25 in the Electoral Bill, which states that the
sequence of the elections will commence with National Assembly, to
be followed by governorship and State Houses of Assembly, while
presidential poll will come last, has polarised the All
Progressives Congress Caucus in the Senate.

While the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus and some APC members
loyal to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, are supporting
the amendment, some APC senators loyal to Buhari are against
it.

Briefing journalists after the plenary, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu
Sabi-Abdullahi, said the lawmakers would decide on the step to take
on the veto later.

“What we have here is a letter coming back to us. It has been
read and it is going to be approved tomorrow (Wednesday) in our
Votes and Proceedings. And when it is approved, subsequently if
there is going to be any action, I am sure we will let you know
what the action will be. I will leave it at that,” he said.

The Senate’s spokesman, however, said he did not know what the
step would be when he was asked. He stated that the Senate and the
House of Representatives would study the issues raised by Buhari
and concur on their positions on them.

He said, “If I am speaking on behalf of the Senate and the
Senate has not discussed an issue, is it fair for me to speak on
it? Things are done through processes and procedures, and there are
norms and conventions of the parliament.

“Yes, the letter has been read and, definitely, this is not the
first time a letter from Mr. President would be read. It is just
the same normal communication from Mr. President. All
communications from Mr. President will definitely go through the
same legislative process, which means that we have received it now
and it is for us to look at it.

“It is going to receive attention. Senators and members of the
House of Representatives will begin to look at it because it is a
document that is coming back to the National Assembly.”

Reps, Senators consult to decide on Buhari’s
veto

The Speaker, Dogara, and other lawmakers did not make any
immediate comment on Buhari’s veto on Tuesday.

However, findings by our reporter showed that
members of the House and senators were consulting on the next line
of action.

Lawmakers had hinted before now that they would override the
President’s veto.

A member, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “The
President has played his own part.

“He kept to the constitutional provision of within 30 days by
writing to the National Assembly.

“On our part, we have to consult. This is not the type of issue
you rush to take decisions.

“The consultations will cut across party and zonal caucuses for
members to take a position on the next line of action.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr.
Abdulrazak Namdas, had told The PUNCHearlier that the
legislature would override the President’s veto.

Namdas had stated, “For now, the bill has gone to Mr. President
and we are waiting for his response. If his response is that he
won’t sign, we are ready to override his veto.

“I can assure you that in both chambers of the National
Assembly, we will get the required two-thirds majority to override
the veto.”

Senate refers bill to legal department

A source, who was privy to the discussions at the 25-minute
closed-door session that preceded the plenary in the Senate, said
the Buhari’s letter was discussed but the lawmakers did not reach a
conclusion.

Saraki was said to have told members that there was the need to
review the points raised by Buhari to allow an informed decision on
the bill.

The lawmakers were said to have agreed with the Senate President
that the bill be referred to the Legal Department of the National
Assembly.

It was gathered that all the 43 members of the PDP are
supporting the move to override Buhari, in addition to the over 20
APC senators backing the move.

The source, who is in the PDP caucus, said, “We need about 10
more members to join the race so that we can get the 73 votes (the
approximate two-thirds of the 109 senators) to override the
veto.”

Section 58 of the constitution states, “(1) The power of the
National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed
by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and, except as
otherwise provided by subsection (5) of this section, assented to
by the President.

“(2) A bill may originate in either the Senate or the House of
Representatives and shall not become law unless it has been passed
and, except as otherwise provided by this section and section 59 of
this Constitution, assented to in accordance with the provisions of
this section.

“(3) Where a bill has been passed by the House in which it
originated, it shall be sent to the other House, and it shall be
presented to the President for assent when it has been passed by
that other House and agreement has been reached between the two
Houses on any amendment made on it.

“(4) Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he
shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he
withholds assent.

“(5) Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is
again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall
become law and the assent of the President shall not be
required.”

Culled From Punch