Facts emerged on Wednesday on why the National Assembly embarked on the amendment of the Electoral Act which perfected the change of sequence in the conduct of the presidential, National Assembly and gubernatorial elections earlier released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

By the rescheduled sequence, the amendment reverses the order announced by INEC, which fixed National Assembly and presidential elections for February 16, 2019, while the state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections would come up two weeks later on March 2, 2019

The lawmakers insisted that election date is the prerogative of INEC, while extant laws of the land gives schedules for such elections as the sole responsibility of the National Assembly.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent to the amendment citing probable infringement of the constitution.

Speaking on why the National Assembly decided to reorder the election schedule, a member of the House of Representatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were miffed by a statement allegedly made by President Buhari during the peak of the faceoff between the executive and legislative arm of government.

According to the lawmaker, the president was reported to have described them as rascals who rode on his popularity to get elected into the National Assembly.

“The whole issue was fueled by the remarks made by the president during the face-off between us and the presidency. We were told that he described us as rascals who rode on his popularity to get elected into office. He said if not for him, many of us will not be where we are today.

“That is essentially why we kick started the process in the House of Representatives. We want to make a point that we are popular in our various constituencies and never rode on the popularity of the president to be elected. So, why is the presidency jittery about the whole thing and the president has refused assent to the Bill?” He asked.

Also speaking with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), who backed President Buhari’s decision to veto the bill, said the action of the lawmakers are illegal and unconstitutional as they are not backed by law to alter the order of elections.

While asking INEC to ignore the National Assembly and proceed with its original timetable, Sagay, who also accused the lawmakers of pursuing their personal interest, advised them to approach the court if they felt aggrieved by the action of the president.

“What they wanted to do was illegal and unconstitutional. The National Assembly has no role whatsoever in organising the schedule of elections. It is the sole responsibility of INEC. The constitution clearly established that on the issue of the timetable and order of elections, INEC has exclusive powers.

“So, short of amending the constitution, the National Assembly cannot achieve what they are trying to do. They only debated the issue in the two chambers, they didn’t take it across the states for constitutional amendment. So, it is illegal and the president was right to veto it.

“My advice is this: since it is illegal ab initio, it doesn’t exist in law, so INEC should ignore it and carry on with the way they have already planned the election. If the National Assembly feels aggrieved, let them go to court and let the court decide”, he said.
https://independent.ng/election-sequence-court-bars-nass-from-overriding-buhari/

"Rode on his popularity"

The fool was never popular, if he was,he would have won when he first contested for president.