Buhari’s aide, Omoworare assures on Electoral Bill assent

Amid anxiety over the likelihood of President Muhammadu Buhari not signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill before the expiration of 30 day window, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare has assured Nigerians that the bill would be assented to.

He made this known during a dialogue which was organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja.

The policy dialogue was centred on ‘Electoral Bill 2021 and Quest for Presidential Assent: Matters Arising,’ and Omoworare stated that President Buhari was consulting widely before appending his signature.

On the timing, Omoworare said, his principal was aware of section 58 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended which provides the 30 day time frame, noting that he will observe the time frame.

“The President was desirous of signing the bill, but he is consulting and he will do that within the 30,-day time frame.”

Omoworare stated: “I can’t speak for him now. It is going to be as a result of the consultations whether he signs or not, but we know we have time constraint.”

In his remarks, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, said a good law was necessary for electoral integrity.

Jega picked holes in the bill, especially the provisions for campaign financing by presidential candidates.

“There is a good fundamental democratic principle. Candidates for presidency spending N5 billion and governors spending ₦1 billion for elections is a very bad law,” he said.

“To my mind, it is just one aspect out of the many good things that are in that bill. Whether you do direct or indirect primaries, it does not matter so long as political parties are not democratic.

“If there is no internal party democracy, whether you do direct or indirect primaries, they will still manipulate it and the outcome will still not be favourable to the people.”