Like senate, reps amend Electoral Act to allow statutory delegates vote at conventions

A bill seeking to enable statutory delegates to vote at the conventions and congresses of political parties has passed the third reading at the house of representatives.

Statutory delegates — also known as automatic delegates — are party members who have held public office before.

They include former presidents, governors, deputy governors, and former national and state house of assembly members.

The green chamber passed the bill after Ado Doguwa, majority leader, moved a motion for its consideration at the committee of the whole.

The legislation passed the first, second and third readings during Wednesday’s plenary session.

Yahaya Danzaria, clerk of the house, who issued a notice of the emergency plenary, had said the legislators will amend “a fundamental error” in the 2022 Electoral Act.

The senate debated and passed its version of the bill on Tuesday.

While leading the debate on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy senate president, had said the electoral bill assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in February only recognises ad hoc delegates.

The deputy senate president said the error on the part of the national assembly was not “intended”.

Section 84 (8) of the 2022 Electoral Act reads: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting.”

With the bill now passed, the aforementioned section is now amended to include statutory delegates.

The bill will subsequently be transmitted to Buhari for assent.