Politics

Senate Amends Electoral Act To Allow President, Govs, Lawmakers Vote At Party Primaries

Published

3 years ago

May 11, 2022.

Yinka Akanbi

The bill to amend the 2022 Electoral Act No. 13 was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central)
Omo-Agege, in his presentation, said the bill seeks to amend the provision of section 84(8) of the Electoral Act

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Senate has amended the Electoral Act 2022, to allow ‘statutory delegates’, all those elected to participate and vote in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties.

This followed the expeditious consideration of a bill during plenary, which scaled first, second and third readings, respectively, and was passed by the chamber after consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

Those identified as ‘statutory delegates’ include the President, Vice President, Members of the National Assembly, Governors and their deputies, Members of the State Houses of Assembly, Chairmen of Councils, Councillors, and National Working Committee of political parties, amongst others.

The bill to amend the 2022 Electoral Act No. 13 was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central).

Omo-Agege, in his presentation, said the bill seeks to amend the provision of section 84(8) of the Electoral Act.

According to him, the provisions of the section “does not provide for the participation of what is generally known as ‘statutory delegates’ in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties.”

“The extant section only clearly provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates of political parties.

“This is an unintended error, and we can only correct it with this amendment now before us”, the Deputy Senate President said.

FURTHER READING

Speaking after the bill to amend the 2022 Electoral Act was passed, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks, said that the amendment became imperative in view of the deficiency created by the provision of Section 84(8) of the extant Act.

Those identified as ‘statutory delegates’ include the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly, governors and their deputies, members of the State Houses of Assembly, chairmen of councils, councillors, and national working committee of political parties, amongst others.

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