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Electoral Bill: Senate, Reps approve consensus for political parties
By Matthew Eloyi
The Senate and the House of Representatives have approved the option of consensus as one of the modes for selecting party flagbearers in the country.
According to the resolution reached by the lawmakers, political parties that adopt a consensus candidate must secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the position, indicating their voluntary withdrawal from the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate.
In addition to approving the consensus mode, the Senate and House of Representatives maintained the direct and indirect modes of conducting primary elections by political parties.
The Senate at plenary on Tuesday passed a report which followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sen. Abdullahi Yahaya (APC-Kebbi) on “Rescission on Clause 84 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and Committal to the Committee of the Whole.”
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In a brief deliberation on Tuesday in Abuja, the House of Representatives also amended the controversial Clause 84 of the Bill and passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, thereby agreeing with the Senate on consensus as part of the three modes of conducting party primaries.
While presenting his motion, Senator Yahaya said the Senate had on January 19 reconsidered section 84 of the Electoral Act Bill, following the withholding of assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Yahaya said there were some important issues that required fresh legislative action by both chambers of the National Assembly on clause 84 of the bill, which according to him necessitated a joint leadership meeting of the National Assembly to give Nigerians an enduring electoral act.
President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan after the adoption of the motion, said by passing the amendment on clause 84, the national assembly has concluded its task on the electoral act amendment bill.
Saying the mode of direct and indirect primaries was well defined as to how it would be conducted, he added that for the consensus, the two chambers produced a very clear definition of how a consensus candidate could emerge.
He said he was optimistic that President Muhammadu Buhari would sign the bill, adding that the National Assembly was pleased to have achieved the consensus.
