* Urges lawmakers to invoke constitutional provision, pass bill
A senior lawyer, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has urged the National Assembly to suspend its current recess and convene a special session to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent on Electoral Bill.
Though the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and forwarded it to Buhari on November 13, President refused to give his assent to the much important bill while the 30-day period for him to sign the bill expired on Sunday.
Adegboruwa also stated that it was regrettable that the President did not sign the bill before traveling to Turkey, saying that the development indicates that Buhari is not ready to accept the historic and innovative bill for true democracy.
The Senior Advocate stated this in a statement made available to Theideal in Abuja last night.
Speaking on the uniqueness of the bill, Adegboruwa said, “There are many innovative provisions in the Bill that makes it attractive as a tool to oil our democratic experiment, especially the issues of electronic transmission of election results and direct primaries for the political parties.”
He added that the bill represents the yearnings of Nigerians for direct primaries by political parties to chose their candidates and the desire for electronic transmission of results by INEC to curb manipulation and rigging.
The statement reads in part, “ From the events monitored on the floor of the National Assembly and indeed the public hearings conducted, it is clear that Nigerians prefer that results of elections be transmitted electronically by INEC in order to avoid the recurring decimal of manipulation and rigging.
“In the same vein, direct primaries for the choice of candidates of political parties will eliminate the hydra-headed issues of godfatherism and imposition of candidates.”
Citing the relevant law that empowers the National Assembly to override Buhari when he fails to give assent to bill passed within 30 days, Adegboruwa said, “Under and by virtue of section 58 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) where the President withholds his assent and a 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.
“I urge the National Assembly, in the national interest, to invoke its constitutional powers to pass the Electoral Bill and save our democracy from imminent collapse.
“ As the elected representatives of the people, our legislators should act in the interest of their respective constituencies.
“Democracy is about the people, so it is essential that politicians who made promises of electoral reforms while canvassing for votes should honour their vows to the people, when they get into office.”
Asking the National Assembly to do the needful and save democracy, the Senior Advocate said, “Nigerians expect the National Assembly to shake off the toga of being a rubber stamp entity and use this golden opportunity to assert their autonomy.
“This matter is important and pressing enough to warrant the suspension of the current recess of the National Assembly for the purpose of passing the Bill and in that wise, override presidential assent.
“Nothing is too much to give to salvage our hard-earned democracy.”
