Electoral Act: Lawan reads Buhari’s letter seeking deletion of clause ‘disenfranchising’ appointees

The national assembly has officially received communication from President Muhammadu Buhari asking it to delete a clause in the electoral act.

In a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Buhari asked the lawmakers to expunge section 84 (12) of the electoral act of 2022 because it disenfranchises serving political officers.

The section reads: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

This means political appointees nursing presidential ambition in the current administration will have to resign by June.

The president signed the electoral bill into law on Friday at a ceremony held in the presidential villa.

While giving assent to the bill, the president said the constitution already protects the right of serving political officers to vote in their party’s function as provided for in sections 40 and 42.

“It is imperative to note that the only constitutional expectation placed on serving political office holders that qualify, by extension, as public officers within the context of the constitution is resignation, withdrawal or retirement at least 30 days before the date of the election,” he had said.

“Arising from the foregoing, with particular regards to the benefits of the bill, industry, time, resources and energy committed in its passage, I hereby assent to the bill and request the nationally assembly to consider immediate amendments that will bring the Bill in tune with constitutionality by way of deleting section 84(12) accordingly.”