The House of Representatives has amended Section 84(8) of the amended Electoral Act to allow statutory delegates to participate in political party’s conventions and congresses.
The House amended the section during Wednesday’s plenary. Statutory delegates are party members who have held public office before.
The Senate during Tuesday’s plenary also amended the said clause. The clause had prevented statutory delegates from participating in party’s primaries.
Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Amendment Act states that a political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates.
The initial amended Section 84 (8) provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates.
What NASS is saying
The clause was amended by the house after considering a bill by Abubakar Fulata, the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business.
The bill titled: “A bill for an act to amend the 2022 Electoral Act no 13 and for other related matters,” was also passed at the Senate after a debate led by its sponsor Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
Shortly after the passage of the bill, the senate president, Ahmad Lawan who said it was important to enable every statutory delegate to vote noted that he expects the national assembly to conclude the amendment by today’s plenary.
He said “The electoral act has a deficiency that was never intended and that deficiency will deny all statutory delegates in all political parties from participating in congresses and conventions,”
“Our expectation is that the national assembly will finish the processing of this amendment between today and tomorrow and the executive will do the assent within the week.” Mr Lawan said.
What you should know
- While PDP has slated May 28 for its presidential primaries, APC fixed May 30, 31 and June 1 for theirs.
- Statutory delegates include: Governors and their Deputies, President and Vice President, political parties’ National Working Committee members, state party chairmen and secretary
- Others include councillors, local government chairmen and their vices, political party chairmen in all the 774 LGAs, state and federal lawmakers.
