ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Saturday, May 28, 2022
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
National Assembly Complex

National Assembly Complex

Electoral amendment bill passes second reading as senators review, consider Buhari’s concerns

byQueenEsther Iroanusi
October 10, 2018
3 min read

The revised amendment to the Electoral Amendment Bill on Wednesday passed a second reading at the Senate.

While deliberating on the bill, the lawmakers put into consideration reasons President Muhammdu Buhari gave for rejecting the Bill.

Mr Buhari rejected the bill for the third time on September 3 due to “some drafting issues” that remain unaddressed by prior revisions.

“Mr President invites the Senate and House of Representatives to address these issues as quickly as possible so that he may grant assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill,” Ita Enang, a presidential aide said in a statement.

“A few of the outstanding issues are; There is a cross referencing error in the proposed amendment to section 18 of the bill. The appropriate amendment is to substitute the existing sub-section (2) with the proposed subsection (1A), while the proposed sub-section (1B) is the new sub-section (2A)’

“The proposed amendment to include a new Section 87 (14) which stipulates a specific period within which political party primaries are required to be held has the unintended consequence of leaving INEC with only 9 days to collate and compile lists of candidates and political parties as well manage the primaries of 91 political parties for the various elections.

“This is because the electoral amendment bill does not amend sections 31, 34 and 85 which stipulates times for the submission of lists of candidates, publication of lists of candidates and notice of convention, congresses for nominating candidates for elections.”

His refusal to assent the bill compelled the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconvene and deliberate on the bill for the fourth time.

The Senate on Wednesday passed it after Suleiman Nazif, chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, presented a report.

Denying allegations that the lawmakers took out the section backing the use of card reader during the election, Mr Nazif, stated that the issue of card reader “has always been part of the amendment process.”

“Failure of card reader – section 49(3): where a smart card reader fails to function in any unit, and a fresh card reader is not deployed, election in that unit shall be cancelled and another election shall be scheduled within 24 hours,” he explained.

While stating that all the concerns of the president had been addressed, the lawmaker further explained that spending limits of candidates for various offices were addressed as well as when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would conduct a fresh poll if a card reader fails, among others.

He announced that the spending limits for a presidential candidate is N5 billion while that of the governor is N1 billion.

“Section 87(12): Where a primary election is conducted and duly attended and certified by the commission in compliance with this Act, and the result is subsequently altered by a political party, the commission shall have powers to overrule the alteration made by the political parties and oppose such primaries.

“Section 87(14): The days of primaries shall not be earlier than 150 days and not later than 120 days before the day of the election into office.

“Election expenses – Section 91 (1): election expenses shall not exceed the sum stipulated in sub-section 2-7.

Section 91(2) – N5 billion for presidential election.

Section 91(3) – N1 billion for governorship election

Section 91(4) – N100 million for senatorial election/house of representatives

Section 91(5) – N30 million for state house of assembly/

Section 91(6) – N30 million for chairmanship/area council

Section 92(7) – N 5 million for councillorship

“Section 91(9) – No individual of other entity shall donate to a candidate, more than 10 million.

“Section 91(10) – A candidate who knowingly act in contravention of this section, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of 1 % of the amount permitted at the limit of campaign expenditure under this Act or imprisonment of a term not exceeding 12 months,” he said.

He further explained that the proposed amendment includes a new section 87(14) which stipulates a specific period within which political party primaries are required to be held has the unintended prospect of leaving INEC with only nine days to collate and compile lists of candidates and political parties as well as manage the primaries of 91 political parties for various elections.

“This is because the electoral amendment bill does not amend section 31, 34 and 85 which stipulates time for submission time for submission of names of candidates, publication of names of candidates and notice of convention, congress for nominating candidates for election.

“Qualifying language should also be considered to the provision of section 36(3) since an unintending effect of the current drafting may be to unduly increase the cost of administrative burden of conducting election in the event that any candidate no matter how inconsequential to the overall electoral process, passes away during the election.”

In his contribution, Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) said putting a spending limit to candidates was not realistic.

“We can pass a law that can’t pass the litmus test. The law says no individual can donate more than N10 million to a candidate, as long as someone makes his money legitimately why will he have a limit to his donation?” he said.

Victor Umeh (APGA, Anambra Central) suggested that instead of having a law restricting spending limits, there should be legislation to tackle vote-buying.

“I suggest it should be expunged. We should strengthen the law against vote-buying, it will be better,” he said.

On his part, Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi West) described the provision which gives INEC power to upturn the choice of party’s candidate as “a recipe for disaster.”

The Senate passed the bill after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Mr Saraki asked the committee to take note of the observations raised by the lawmakers and directed it to report back on Tuesday.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023

CITIZEN-FM AD


Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: Why women cheat: what every Nigerian man should know







PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Commission seeks reduction of death sentences to life imprisonment

Next Post

Gunmen kill soldier in Jos

QueenEsther Iroanusi

QueenEsther Iroanusi

QueenEsther Iroanusi covers the National Assembly for PREMIUM TIMES. She is a 2018 Female Reporters Leadership Programme fellow of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. She has a degree in French. She can be reached on Twitter @QueenExtha

More News

Eagle Square

Traffic tips for Abuja commuters as APC, PDP conduct presidential primaries

May 28, 2022
Presidential aspirant Peter Obi.

Why I joined Labour Party – Peter Obi

May 28, 2022
An APC Flag

Obanikoro’s son loses Lagos APC House of Reps ticket

May 27, 2022
Aishatu Ahmad, popularly known as Binani

2023: Female senator, Binani, beats Ribadu, ex-Governor Bindow, others to emerge as APC candidate in Adamawa

May 27, 2022
Nigerian stocks cross N29 trillion mark amid scramble for Airtel Africa’s shares

Nigerian stocks cross N29 trillion mark amid scramble for Airtel Africa’s shares

May 27, 2022
Senator Rochas Okorocha

Court refuses to grant Okorocha bail

May 27, 2022
Next Post
Nigerian Police on patrol

Gunmen kill soldier in Jos

President Muhammadu Buhari speaking

2019 Election Budget: Buhari writes Senate again, wants all N242bn taken from 2018 budget

Read All Comment

Search

AUN-PT Ad





Transport-Technology


Stanbic Ad


Access Bank Ad





Glo Ad


Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,850,450 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • #PandoraPapers
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Opinion
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.