There were strong indications on Saturday evening that the Senate would, this week, begin the process to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to withhold his assent to the 2018 Electoral Act amendment bill.

Senate spokesperson, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, said that the red chamber had rejected Buhari’s reasons for declining assent to the legislation and would do everything possible to override his action.

A cross-section of the senators, said on the issue on Saturday, vowed to make Buhari’s position a major issue on resumption of plenary on Tuesday.

They vowed to ensure that to ensure that all the amendments made to the new electoral act formed part of what the Independent National Electoral Commission would comply with in the conduct of the 2019 polls.

But there are other indications that as Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, prepare to read the letter to members in plenary at their respective chambers on Tuesday, the lawmakers are set for a stormy debate on the matter.

Accordingly to SUNDAY PUNCH can authoritatively report that Buhari’s decision has polarised members of the National Assembly across political lines.

While members of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, have expressed their support for the President, those of the opposition PDP alleged an ulterior motive behind the withholding of the assent by the President.

Already, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan and Senator Biodun Olujimi, said on Saturday that the matter would be discussed when the lawmakers reconvene, after which a decision would be taken on the bill.

Olujimi said that the federal parliament approved the huge budget proposed by the INEC for the election because of the anticipated electronic voting being planned by the electoral umpire.

Olujimi said, “This is because 70 per cent of the INEC budget has to do with the funding of card readers and other equipment needed for the election.

“We are going back to the chamber on Tuesday to look at the reasons for the President’s rejection and we will do our best to override his assent because the Electoral Act (amendments) bill is the best thing that can happen to our election in Nigeria.

“It is not only the opposition senators who would override the President. We would work on our colleagues in the ruling APC, most of whom are disgruntled that their party denied them tickets to return to the Senate.”

Another senator from the North-West geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also corroborated the position of Olujimi, describing Buhari’s reasons as untenable.

He said, “It is possible that we start the process to override the President’s assent when we resume on Tuesday. I can assure you that it will be on the front burner of our proceedings. It will be a major issue and I am very sure that it is going to generate a lot of debate.

“If you look at the equation these days, many of our colleagues don’t come to the National Assembly again because of campaigns. So, it is really not impossible to get two-thirds majority to override the President’s assent.

“If the decision to override the President did not take place on Tuesday, it will certainly be done on Wednesday when we would enjoy the privilege of the NTA live coverage of our proceedings.”

Also, a senator from the South-East geopolitical zone, who also spoke off record, alleged that Buhari withheld assent to the bill because he did not want the usage of card readers in the North where a lot of Permanent Voter Card had allegedly been procured for underage voters.

The senator stated, “If INEC should make use of the card reader in northern Nigeria, we would demystify their bogus claims that they have the majority of voters in that part of the country.

“They can write any figure and declare it if there is no electronic accreditation of voters. The moment the ‘already-biased’ INEC officials signed the fraudulent election result sheets, we would not be able to do anything on them.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/electoral-act-nassembly-plans-to-override-buhari-this-week-apc-senators-kick.html

Noise makers

Am in support of NASS,u can't be emotional with progress of this Country. Hiding behind party affiliate to hinder our progress. Never again!.

If NASS pulls this off, that would be the best gift to Nigerians this season. Electoral reform is not about Buhari winning or losing election, it’s about Nigeria conducting credible elections no matter who is president!

Buhari is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy! It’s a shame he wants to exploit loopholes from the last election to fraudulently win re-election.

Long overdue

The senator stated, “If INEC should make use of the card reader in northern Nigeria, we would demystify their bogus claims that they have the majority of voters in that part of the country".
Underage voting

In a fraudulent way or how?

Where will you guys get 2/3 of house and senate to override Buhari's decision.

Abeg, opposition doesn't mean clueless..

It is necessary. A check on the 2015 election results shows that out of the over 2million votes Buhari got from Kano, over 1million came from people with no voters card. In Katsina, out of over 1million votes he got there, over 7 hundred thousand came from people with no voters card.
This amended act will remove such and let us have real voters.

Good call......this could be ine of the best things the NASS will ever do, that is if they dont bow to threats, blackmail etc and back down

t hi is a good one


Override the illiterate cow rearer

Good for nothing fool... If it's something that won't add anything to the country.. He would have signed it by now..

helinues:
In a fraudulent way or how?

Where will you guys get 2/3 of house and senate to override Buhari's decision.

Abeg, opposition doesn't mean clueless..

And you think they can't get the required number?

BUHARI pls show us ur prick,so that our slay queens can verify if truely na BUHARI OR JIBRIL u be

How will they get 2/3 of the house ?

Na mouth dem dey take override
Override make we see na.....clowns!!!

The better for us. His relevance is waning daily.

This is the only way to stop rigging

Make una go kiss Satan, Buhari till 2023.

g

If they can get 2/3 of NASS, if not is impossible. God please help and save this country

They should do that quickly abeg.

When you see the contents of that bill, you'd believe that president dinosaur would fall over himself to sign it into law.
I mean, that bill clearly favors a performing incumbent government seeking for a reelection.
Keyword: Performing.

But this extremely dull, extremely dumb president and his handlers know there's no redeeming point to his nearly elapsed four years tenure. So, the only way to retain power is to rig and out-rig all his opponents.

We have had little gains since 1999, but this plague in Aso Rock has effortlessly destroyed whatever seeming progress we've made so far. If the NASS were not made up of a bunch of greedy, self seeking assholes, president dumbo should have been impeached withing the first year of his administration.

Like everything else the NASS has attempted, and all past threats it has made to the presidency, I believe this is another one of those empty words...until they actually enforce it.

ZombieTAMER:


And you think they can't get the required number?

They can never. Even Apc cant garner 2/3 If not Saraki would have been a gunner by now.

Infact if the PDP has the so called 2/3, they will rather channel the opportunity to impeach the president.

But all are dreams that can never come true

They will not override and get in place new minimum wage because it's not in their favor.

helinues:


They can never. Even Apc cant garner 2/3 If now Saraki would have been a gunner by now.

APc can't but PDP can

Nice

Good one

Siddon look na dog name.. nor be this Nigeria we dey..btw which day of the week

I still don't know why buhari is rejecting this electoral amendment bill ,I guess he has hidden agenda,I m beginning to suspect this jubril sorry buhari joor

Better

Better .

ZombieTAMER:


APc can't but PDP can

How? Do you know what 2/3 requires? 73 senators and 240 reps. How many are Pdp reps and senators?