The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said, for the benefit of the country, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill will be reintroduced on Wednesday for reconsideration.
The speaker, in his New Year speech , on Tuesday, said the lawmakers have two options, to either stick to their guns or expunge the controversial section 87 in the bill.
He noted that the excuse of political parties not having registers is appalling and not valid.
The House resumed from the Christmas/New Year break on Tuesday.
President Muhammadu Buhari had rejected the bill, citing opposition to the controversial direct primaries clause in the bill.
Mr Buhari cited insecurity, the cost of conducting direct primaries and infringement on the rights of Nigerians to participate in governance as his reasons for declining assent.
Opinion on the direct primary clause in the bill is divided with some saying that it should be retained while others say it should be expunged.
On Monday, the governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asked the lawmakers to either veto the president or remove the controversial areas.
Also, a former INEC Chairperson, Attahiru Jega, said on Sunday that direct primaries are not feasible
Mr Gbajabiamila said it is unlikely that the bill would be assented to by the president in its current form.
“Unfortunately, that bill did not receive presidential assent and it is unlikely that it will receive assent in its current form.
“Now we have to choose between sticking to our guns regarding the provision to mandate direct primaries for political parties or reworking that provision to save the rest of the bill.
“Let it be clear that our only objective in introducing that provision is to strengthen our democracy,” Mr Gbajabiamila said.
The Speaker said he is convinced that direct mode of primaries is the way.
He, however, said: “We must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Therefore, the House will reintroduce the amendment tomorrow. And we will work quickly to address the mitigating concerns, pass the Bill and send it back to His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.”
Mr Gbajabiamila said the argument that political parties do not have “proper registers of their members” is appalling and disappointing.
According to him, failure to maintain a proper register is a contravention of the 1999 Constitution.
“Some argued that political parties do not have proper registers of their members, which was a reason to reject the direct primary option. This is an appalling admission that political parties in the country do not have credible and up to date registers of their members,” the Speaker said.
“We are left to question how those parties have thus far managed their affairs, including conducting congresses and primary elections, whether by direct or indirect means.
“Besides, it can be inferred that the failure to maintain a proper register of members violates the spirit of the constitution, as it makes it impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce the constitutional requirement for political parties to ensure that their membership reflects the federal character of Nigeria.
“It is disappointing that the failure of political parties to adequately document their membership is being used to not give the Nigerian people the power to fully participate in our nation’s politics.
“If nothing else, including a direct primary mandate in the law, would have forced political parties to properly register their members within the shortest possible time. This would have been the singular most significant reform of our political party system in a generation.”
On the drafting errors identified by some Civil Society Organisations, Mr Gbajabimaila noted that the version circulating on social media is not the same version sent to Mr Buhari, adding that there is a technical committee looking at the issue of bill drafting.
“As to the issues relating to inelegant drafting and other technical errors in the bill, this is a matter of concern as it appears the version sent to the President differs from what is circulating in the public domain. However, in December of last year, I appointed a technical team to look into the issue.
“I expect to have their report within the next day or two so that we can proceed to the next stage. We have less than 13 months to the next general election, so time is of the essence.
“A credible electoral law is what the people want. It is what the people deserve, and we must give to them. The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill includes many other provisions that will serve our democracy well, and we cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater,” he said.
Mr Gbajabiamila promised that the constitution amendment bills will get the needed attention of the lawmakers, noting that the state Houses of Assembly will get copies of passed constitutional amendment bills in February.
“We will prioritise action to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives. Fortunately, we are in the final stages of that effort and will shortly conclude this all-important work. According to the deputy speaker, the first set of amendments will be forwarded to the state assemblies for consideration before the end of February,” he said.
After the Speaker’s speech, the House went into a closed-door session.
