Electoral Bill: Nigerian Lawmakers Ready to Override Buhari’s Veto

• Members of the National Assembly have expressed readiness to override President Buhari's veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill currently before him
• The president is under pressure to withhold assent to the Electoral Act amid concerns due to electronic voting and direct primaries
• Buhari has until December 19 to either sign the bill or decline assent after it was transmitted to him by NASS following its passage

A report by Leadership indicates that some members of the National Assembly have vowed to veto President Muhammadu Buhari if he declines to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

This is coming amid 16 days to the expiration of the timeline for the Nigerian leader to assent to the electoral bill.

A senator who spoke in confidence with Leadership newspaper on Thursday, December 2, said that they had met and resolved to overrule Buhari if the president declines to sign the bill.

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The lawmaker said:

“We have already met on this issue. If the president does not sign the bill, we will veto it. The 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill is something Nigerians believe will improve the electoral system.

“So, for the interest of Nigerians and the electoral process, if the president did not sign the bill, we would veto his assent.”

Some influential Nigerians are against the bill

In another report by The Nation, Buhari is reportedly under pressure from influential Nigerians not to sign the bill because they do not want direct primaries to be conducted by political parties and electronic voting/transmission of results.

The president has been urged by governors to decline assent until the conflict over the direct primary has been resolved.

Electoral Act Amendment Bill: INEC speaks on Buhari's letter

Legit.ng previously reported that as the 30 days required for the president to either assent to or communicate to the National Assembly his views and comments about the Electoral Act Amendment Bill draws near, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the letter sent to the commission by Buhari.

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INEC in its response said, constitutionally and legally, the commission is the end-user of the electoral legal framework under contention.

Festus Okoye, INEC chairman of the information and voter education committee, said it is strategic and fundamental to seek advice from the commission and other stakeholders like the president had done in his letter.

Source: Legit.ng