President Muhammadu Buhari has given his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021.
The brief but colourful ceremony took place at 11:25 GMT on Friday, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
With the signing of the bill, it now becomes a law that will prepare the grounds for Nigeria’s forthcoming general election, slated for 2023.
Present at the signing ceremony were the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
BREAKING: President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 into law.
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) February 25, 2022
Public anxiety had mounted, in the last few weeks, over President Buhari’s delay in assenting to the re-amended bill, as some members of the public as well as some critical stakeholders had concluded that he was withholding assent to the bill again.
The signing of Electoral Act into law. pic.twitter.com/O1nwPGiSPX
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) February 25, 2022
The National Assembly had transmitted the amended Electoral Act to President Buhari on January 31, having reportedly revised the bill, which he withheld his assent to at the end of last year, for reasons bordering on mode of nomination of candidates by political parties..
Friday’s signing of the amendment bill into law has finally put all anxieties to rest.
President Buhari had withheld his assent to the bill in November 2021, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections, security challenges, and possible manipulation of electoral processes by political players as part of the reasons for his decision.
He, however, gave some conditions to give his assent, prompting the lawmakers to re-work the bill which initially led to the emergence of two versions from the red and green chambers of the assembly.
Details later….
