The Joint Committee of the Senate
and House of Assembly on Electoral Matters on Tuesday passed the fourth version
of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Before Tuesday, President
Muhammadu Buhari had withdrawn assent three times.
The joint Senate and House of
Representatives Committee on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, while briefing
journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, denied removing the Electronic Card Reader,
with which voters are accredited during elections, from the bill.
The committee explained that it
had only harmonised versions of the legislation and passed them as a fourth
bill.
Chairman of the Senate Committee
on the Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Suleiman Nazif, who
doubles as chairman of the joint committee, recalled the reasons cited by
Buhari for rejecting the bill on different occasions as well as what the
lawmakers consequently did on the legislation.
The lawmaker described the bill
as “an issue of utmost national importance.”
Nazif said in part, “It is an
opportunity for Nigerians to hear what we have done, how far we have gone, what
transpired from the first Electoral Act Amendment Bill, to the second one, the
third one and now to the fourth one.
“I also want to assure colleagues
and Nigerians that this joint committee is committed to ensuring that it
strengthens INEC and at the same time, the National Assembly is also committed
to deepening democracy in Nigeria. I also want to use this opportunity to
assure Nigerians and everyone here that the National Assembly and indeed the
executive are on the same page with respect to this amendment bill.
“I am sure that you must have
heard different versions. I will put everything in a very clear picture so that
Nigerians will know that all of us are working towards strengthening INEC and
ensuring that 2019 (election) is done is a free and fair electoral process, and
even beyond. Therefore, I will like to assure Nigerians that we are working
very hard and we have come to the conclusion, and you will hear the details
right now.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com