Nigeria’s president, lawmakers disagree again and this time it's over amendment of electoral act

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and the country’s lawmakers have disagreed again over a national matter.

And this time, the president has rejected the amendment to the Electoral Act by the lawmakers days after it was sent to him to approve.

This is coming months after the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission rolled out the electoral process ahead of 2019 general elections.

While President Buhari’s reasons for the rejection of the amended Electoral act is yet to be revealed, the president has reportedly withheld assent to the bill, which was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The president was also reported to have communicated his decision to the federal legislature in two separate letters addressed to the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Meanwhile, Aliyu Abdullahi, the spokesperson of the senate has confirmed the receipt of the letter from President Buhari.

Abdullahi also noted that the letter has been read to members of the Nigerian senate on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

Speaking to newsmen, Abdullahi said: “If I’m speaking on behalf of the senate and the senate has not discussed an issue, is it fair for me to speak on that?

“Yes the letter has been read and definitely this is not the first time letters coming from Mr. President would be read. It’s just the same normal communication from Mr. President and all communication from Mr. President will definitely go through the same legislative processes. Which means we have received it now, it’s for us to look at it.

“The Peace Corps came, the same thing. All of it is going to receive attention and senators and members of House of Reps as the case may be will begin to look at it because it’s a document coming to the National Assembly. Remember if we pass a bill for third reading, as long as the House of Reps has a similar thing and they’ve not concurred, we can’t start talking about the next stage.

“So, what we have here clearly is a letter coming back to us, it has been read, it’s going to be approved tomorrow in the votes and proceedings and when it is approved, subsequently if there is going to be any action we’ll tell you what the actions are going to be.”

Nigeria’s president, lawmakers disagree again and this time it's over amendment of electoral act

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