Direct Primaries: Why Buhari is yet to sign the amended electoral bill

A source in the presidency has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari is in a tight corner about signing into law or rejecting the amended electoral act sent to him by the National Assembly.

According to the source, some strong people in government including state governors and lawmakers have been trying to prevail over the President not to sign the bill.

The source added that the President himself has nothing against signing the bill but is trying to consider the reservations and opinions of others on the matter.

Recalls two major amendments been proposed in the bill by the National Assembly is the compulsory use of direct primaries by political parties to choose candidates for election as well as the provision to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically or decide otherwise.

The use of direct primaries or otherwise has however become a major bone of contention among stakeholders with many of the opinions that the state governors are against direct primaries because it would take away the control of party votes and choosing party candidates from them.

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President Buhari has until Sunday, December 19 to either sign or rejects the bill before him.

But the presidential source quoted by Daily Trust claimed Buhari is taking his time on the bill because of the pressure from interested persons.

“Contending forces are pushing their cases before him but we have no indication of what will happen. He has always been a promoter of direct primaries. He understands what is going on and he wants the system to be democratized,” the source said.

Meanwhile, as earlier reported by this online news platform, presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina has submitted that signing the electoral amendment bill or not will not change the reputation already built by President Muhammadu Buhari as a democrat.

The spokesperson argued that Buhari has already etched his name in the sands of time as a leader with the highest regard for democratic values.

Adesina spoke last Monday amidst the agitations been generated by the content of the electoral bill forwarded for the President’s assent by the National Assembly.

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