Senate Moves To Amend Electoral Act

The Nigerian Senate has commenced the process of amending the Electoral Act in a bid to strengthened and protect democratic norms in the country.

The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Senator Abubakar Kyari.

The amendment bill has however passed the second reading on the floor of the red chamber.

The sponsors of the bill said “cure specific the mischief plaguing our elections and electoral processes.”

Leading the debate on the bill, Omo-Agege said though the process under the 8th Senate was fraught with mutual suspicions and bitterness, electoral reform for the 9th National Assembly remained a priority on their legislative agenda.

Omo-Agege added that the bill to amend the Electoral Act sought to enact a new Section 87 on the Nomination of Candidates by Parties for Elections by prescribing maximum fees payable by aspirants and restricting nomination criteria strictly to the relevant provisions.

The bill, according to him, also seeks to make clarification under Section 38(1)(a) of the Principal Act stipulating qualification for contestants.

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The amendment will also provide sanctions for giving false information for the purpose of registering a political party and ensure that failure by the Independent National Electoral Commission and others to comply with any provision of the Act carries adequate sanctions.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, after the debate on the consideration of the bill, referred it to the Committee on INEC for further legislative work.