Tag: Electoral Act

APC bars Amaechi, Malami, Akpabio, others from voting at Nat’l Convention

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has barred Rotimi Amaechi, AGF Malami, Godswill Akpabio, Lai Mohammed and other political appointees from voting at its National Convention slated for tomorrow. This is contained in its programme of events for rhe National Convention.

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and Chairman, Media and Publicity Sub-Committee for the APC 2022 National Convention made this known on Thursday.

Below is the programme of events for the convention scheduled to hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja, as released by Sule on Thursday in Abuja.

1. Arrival of Accredited National Delegates – 10 a.m-1p.m

2. Arrival of the Members of the National Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) – 1:30p.m

3. Arrival of APC State Governors, National Assembly Members, Ministers and Party Leaders – 1:30-2:p.m

4. Arrival of the Speaker of the House of Representatives – 2:10p.m

5. Arrival of the Senate President – 2:20p.m

6. Arrival of the National Chairman, Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) – 2:30p.m

7. Arrival of the Vice-President – 2:45p.m

8. Arrival of the President – 3:15p.m

9. The National Anthem – 3:30p.m

10. Opening Prayers – 3:35p.m

11. Goodwill messages by Youth Wing, Women Wing, People Living with Disability (PLwD) and Diaspora Wing – 3:40-4:50p.m

12. Remarks by Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Representatives of Governors’ from each of the six geo-political zones – 4:50-5:20p.m

13. Interlude – 5:20-5:25p.m

14. Remarks by the Speaker of the House of Representatives – 5:25-5:30p.m

15. Remarks by the Senate President – 5:30-5:35p.m

16. Remarks by the Vice-President – 5:35-5:40p.m

17. Special Remarks by the President – 5:40-5:55p.m

18. Welcome Address by National Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee Chairman and presentation of motions – 5:55-6:10p.m

i. Motion for the approval of Constitution as amended

ii. Motion for the ratification of all activities carried out by CECPC

19. Remarks by the Chairman, Election Committee – 6:10-6:20p.m

20. Elections into Zonal and National Offices of the APC

21. Interlude

22. Counting and Collation of Votes

23. Declaration of Results/Swearing in of the newly elected executives

24. Acceptance Speech by the newly elected National Chairman of the APC

25. Motion for closing of the 2022 Extra-ordinary National Convention

26. Closing Remarks by National Secretary

27. Closing Prayers

28. National Anthem

29. Departure in reverse order.

Meanwhile, the APC has barred political appointees from voting at the national convention.

The party made this known in a press statement on Thursday titled, ‘Attention to political office holders who were elected as delegates’.

It read, “The National Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of APC has declared that all political appointees who were elected as delegates to the National Convention slated for 26/3/2022 SHALL NOT VOTE in view of the controversy surrounding Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act,2022.

“However, political appointees can still attend as observers.”

Recall that the National Assembly (NASS) had earlier unanimously rejected a request from President Muhammadu Buhari to further amend the Electoral Act.

The president asked the National Assembly to amend Section 84(10) of the Act to allow political appointees to contest and participate in primaries without resigning.

Section 84(10) of the Act specifically 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.”

As the NASS rejected the president’s request, a lawyer and chieftain of Action Alliance (AA), Mr Nduka Edede, approached a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia on the matter – in a suit marked FHC/MU/SC/26/2022, with the Attorney General of the Federation as the defendant.

The plaintiff asked the court to determine whether Section 84(12), when read together with Sections 66(1)(f) 107(1)(f)(137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, was not inconsistent.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, nullified Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act, saying it violated the provisions of the Constitution.

Anyadike held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever, saying it ought to have been struck out.

A few hours after the judgement was delivered, the Office of Attorney General and Minister of Justice announced Federal Government’s plans to implement the court judgement allowing political appointees to run for office without resigning.

Some of the President’s ministers who are said to be planning to run for different offices include the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is said to be eyeing the Kebbi State governorship seat; the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who is believed to be planning to contest the governorship of Katsina State; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is rumoured to be eyeing the Presidency.

Others who are said to have political ambitions include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; and a few others.

On Wednesday, March 23, the Senate resolved to appeal the judgment by the Federal High Court in Umuahia, nullifying the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

March 25, 2022
Electoral Act: Senate, Reps to appeal court judgment deleting Section 84(12)

Lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives are now on one page as they resolved to appeal judgement which directed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to delete Section 84 (12) of the newly signed Electoral Act.

This followed a deliberation on the court order during Wednesday’s plenary in both chambers of the National Assembly in Abuja.

At the Senate, Senator George Sekibo and scores of other senators sponsored a motion on the urgent need to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court in Umuahia on the suit on the controversial section of the Act.

In seconding the motion, Senator Sabi Abdullahi described the move as a timely intervention, saying its content was straightforward.

Senator Gabriel Suswam, who also supported the motion, believes time is of the essence and the motion is straightforward for the appropriate channel to appeal.

“In making an appeal, we do not necessarily need the guidance of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters,” he said. “I think we should just go ahead and pass this motion as presented.”

The lawmakers, in their resolution, agreed to appeal the judgement in suit marked FHC/MU/SC/26/2022 to set aside the decision of the court.

For members in the lower chamber, the clause in question is directed at political appointees and not civil servants.

They insisted that the court passed a judgement on a matter which was not included in the Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly.

They also questioned why the National Assembly was not joined as a respondent to the suit, stressing that the action of the judge was an ‘aberration’.

While the lawmakers hinted at writing a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said he would not allow the National Assembly to be ridiculed.

Just like his colleagues, he queried why the judgement was obtained in faraway Abia State, insisting that only the National Assembly has the constitutional authority to alter any part of the legislation which it passed.

Gbajabiamila, therefore, appealed to the AGF not to hastily implement the court judgement, and not to get into the legitimate functions of the National Assembly.

President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Electoral Act 2022 on February 25, following a series of attempts by the National Assembly to amend the nation’s electoral laws.

He had, however, objected to the provisions of Section 84 (12), which read, “No political appointee at any level shall be 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.”

The President believes the section constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election.

He later asked the National Assembly to amend the section of the Act, but the request was rejected by the lawmakers.

Recall on Friday last week, Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State ordered the AGF to delete the section from the Act.

She held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever and could not stand, saying it was in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution.

March 23, 2022
Section 84(12) of Electoral Act 2022: Senate to appeal judgment of Federal High Court

The Senate has passed a motion seeking to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court, Umuahia, on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The Senate, in the motion, seeks to follow appropriate channel and appeal the judgment for the Appeal Court to set aside the Umuahia judgment.

The motion, titled “Urgent need to appeal the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Umuahia, on Suit No: FHC/UM/CS/26/2022, on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022″, was sponsored by Sen. George Sekibo (PDP-Rivers) and co-sponsored by 81 Senators.

Sekibo in his lead debate observed that a court in Umuahia, Abia, had in a suit marked FHC/MU/SC/26/2022, faulted the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022, and declared it unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect.

Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 states as follows: “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.”

Sekibo said that the Judge in his ruling said that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 was inconsistent with Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(g) and 182(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“Notes that for ease of reference, the Sections relied upon in the judgment as stated above are as follows:

“Section 66(1): No person shall be qualified for election to the Senate or the House of Representatives.

“(f) If he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State and has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from such employment 30 days before the date of election.

“Section 107 (1)(f) (1): No person shall be qualified for election to a House of Assembly if – (f) he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State and he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from such employment thirty days before the date of election.

“Section 137(1)(g) (1): A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if: (g) being a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any state, has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election.

“Section 182(1)(g) 182 (1): No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if (g) being a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State, he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days to the date of the election.

“Note further that Section 4 (1,2 and 3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended vested the power of law making for the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the National Assembly.

“The legislative powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in a National Assembly for the Federation, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

“Aware also that in furtherance to the powers vested in the National Assembly, the 1999 Constitution under the roles of the Executive in that deals with political parties in Section 228 (a, b and d) confers more powers on the National Assembly, more particularly on political parties and effective management of the electoral process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“That the National Assembly may by law provide – (a) guidelines and rules to ensure internal democracy within political parties, including making laws for the conduct of party primaries; party congresses and party conventions.

“(b) The conferment on the Independent National Electoral Commission of powers as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or desirable for the purpose of enabling the Commission more effectively ensure that political parties observe the practices of internal democracy, including the fair and transparent conduct of party primaries, party congresses and party conventions,” Sekibo explained.

He said the Electoral Act 2022 enacted by the National Assembly followed due process of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

He said the Senate believes that Section 84 (12) of the 2022 Electoral Act exclusively refers to nomination, conventions and congresses organised for candidates selection and not participation in the general election, which Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(g) and 182(1)(g) were referring to.

He said it was his believe that the interpretation of the meaning of the words ‘Civil Service’ and ‘Public Service’ as provided in Part IV of the 1999 constitution as amended constitution, on Interpretation, Citation and Commencement in Section 318 of the constitution was unambiguous.

He said there was a difference between the civil service or public service and political appointment.

He said that the Senate should show concern on the judgment, especially when opportunity was not given for the Senate to represent itself in a matter that emanated from her legitimate functions.

Sekibo expressed concern that allowing th judgment go without concern would become a precedence on which any person could go to the court and obtain judgment to ridicule the good intentions of the National Assembly as an institution.

March 23, 2022
N-Power: FG approves N14 billion to train non-graduates

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday in Abuja approved over N14 billion to train 50,000 non-graduates of N-power for a period of nine months.

The meeting, which was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, also approved Business, Facilitation and Miscellanceous Provision Bill.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made these known when they briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council meeting.

Umar-Farouq explained that the N14 billion would be used to engage four federal government agencies that will be involved in the training of the non-graduates for a period of nine months.

She said: “Today, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development submitted a memo to Council, asking Council for approval for the engagement of four Federal Government Agencies that will train our N-Power non-graduate beneficiaries.

“These non-graduate beneficiaries, 50,000 of them, will be trained in different skills, using four government agencies as mentioned.

“The affected agencies included the National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute.

She added that at the end of the training the beneficiaries of the programme would be handed starter packs to start up their businesses.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, also told the correspondents that the council approved the Business, Facilitation and Miscellaneous Provision Bill to consolidate on the reforms and enhance productivity and value.

He explained that the bill was part of government’s efforts to sustain the legacies achieved through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

The minister revealed that the bill would be forwarded to National Assembly for consideration.

On the ruling by a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia, that ordered the attorney-general of the federation to delete Section 84 (12) of the amended Electoral Act, Malami said his ministry was yet to effect implementation of the ruling.

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.”

According to him, the process of implementing the ruling is still on.

He said: “My clear response arising therefrom is the fact that truly there exists a court judgment.

“By the judgment, the court directed the Office of the Attorney General to take the necessary steps to delete the provision, which in essence implies that the provision should not form part of our laws.

“Whether it has been deleted, or has not been deleted, is indeed a function of agencies of government and associated relevant parastatals.

“But the true position of it in that respect, is the fact that government printers, and indeed Law Reform Commission, among others, that are responsible for the codification and gazetting of our laws, are working naturally, hand-in-hand with the Office of the Attorney General for the purpose of ensuring that what goes into our laws are indeed in line with the provision of the law.

“So, what I am saying in essence, it is indeed a work in progress against the background of the fact that the Law Reform Commission is involved statutorily, which is a parastatal under the Office of the Attorney General, is a party to the process of codification.

“The government printers, which is saddled with the responsibility of gazetting our laws on the request of the Office of the Attorney General is equally involved. And above all, as you rightly stated, the possibility of an appeal is equally there.

“So, what I am saying in effect is deletion of Section 84 Subsection 12 is a work in progress and is being considered as such.”

March 23, 2022
INEC Boss announces when regulations, guidelines for 2023 elections would be ready

Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the regulations and guidelines for the 2023 general election will be ready ten months before the elections proper.

Yakubu gave the hint, when he received a delegation from John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, in Abuja, and later released in an INEC Daily Bulletin on Tuesday.

The INEC Chairman recalled that in 2019, the Commission was constrained by time due to the uncertainty that trailed the electoral legal framework.

He said that saw the Commission signing off on the Regulations and Guidelines on January 19, 2019, few weeks to the election.

“But we hope that this time around we will sign off on the regulations and guidelines at least 10 months before the next general election, which is very good progress for us”.

Speaking further on the Commission’s source of power to develop the guidelines and regulations, the INEC Chairman said the commission was happy with the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Electoral Bill.

“We now have a new electoral law, on the bases of which we commenced work on the regulations and guidelines.

“Electoral Act cannot say everything, so the National Assembly donates part of its power to INEC to make Regulations and Guidelines and these Regulations and Guidelines have forms of subsidiary legislation,” Yakubu said.

He further disclosed that INEC had virtually finished the processes.

“Our Election Project Plan (EPP) is ready and about to be published, the Strategic Plan is already completed and published.

“We also publish and gazette the Guidelines and send the three documents to the stakeholders and general public next month,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, John Palfrey, congratulated INEC for the successes achieved in areas where it made recommendations after 2019 general election.

He recalled that the foundation was able to visit in 2019 and discussed with INEC several things that were underway at that time

“One was the progress of the Electoral Act, and I’d like to congratulate you on the passage of the Electoral Act.

“Second, we discussed and encouraged the creation of a new department on Gender and Inclusivity, here at INEC and congratulate you on the creation of this department and the successful implementation.

“The third thing we discussed was the creation of new polling units and I understand that these too have been completed and that you are well in preparation for 2023,” Palfrey said.

Palfrey explained that their mission at the Commission was to learn more about INECs plans the 2023 general election.

March 23, 2022
Senate to debate court ruling on Section 84 (12) of Electoral Act

The Senate will on Wednesday, debate the ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia, which nullified the controversial Section 84 (12) of the amended Electoral Act.

This followed a point of order raised by Sen. George Sekibo (PDP-Rivers) during plenary on Tuesday.

The section requires ministers, head of agencies and other political appointees to resign before participating in primaries, convention and other electoral activities.

The court had on March 18, nullified Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act, saying it was a violation of the provisions of the Constitution.

The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, held that the section “was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever”.

Sekibo, while invoking Senate Orders 10 and 11 which is on privileges said the electoral law emanated from the National Assembly, therefore the parliament should be joined as a party in the suit.

“What the judge relied on is not interpretation of the Constitution. The Constitution defines for us who is a civil servant and who is a public servant.

“It does not include political appointees. Moreso, Section four gives us powers to make laws.

“If in the course of doing our job we find Section 84(12) as enshrined in the Electoral Act just assented to is for the good interest of the people, I don’t think somebody should go to court without joining the Senate or the House of Representatives where this law emanated from.

“So if you think it is faulty, you take us to court. We did not know, we were not told they just went there and got a judgement destroying our work over one year.”

He, therefore, moved that the issue be discussed during plenary today (Tuesday) to avoid setting a bad precedence on laws enacted by the federal parliament.

The motion was supported by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu).

However, the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege who presided over plenary, suggested that the debate on the issue be postponed to Wednesday since the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and many other lawmakers were absent.

The section says: “No political appointee at any level shall be 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”.

Justice Anyadike further stated that Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election and that any other law that mandated such appointees to resign or leave office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution.

While signing the Electoral Bill into law in February, President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the National Assembly to delete section 84 (12).

President Buhari had argued that “Section 84 (12) constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election”.

However, the Senate refused to consider the president’s request and threw out the bill seeking the amendment of the section, with lawmakers stressing that an amendment would be going against the civil service norms and would be injurious to the well-being of the society.

On Wednesday, Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, SAN, said following the Senate’s refusal, the Federal Government will consider all other options available to it before a position will be taken.

Malami further explained that even though it is the responsibility of the lawmakers to legislate, if it becomes necessary, the government will exploit other options which will include either putting forward another request to the parliament for reconsideration, approaching the court, or accepting the law just as it is.

The Judge, thereafter, ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act, 2022.

March 22, 2022
Electoral Act: Offensive part of Section 84(12) will be deleted immediately – AGF Malami vows

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General to the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami has vowed that based on Court judgment on Friday, the offensive part of Section 84(12) will be deleted and gazetted immediately.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahi had ordered that the offensive part of Section 84 (12) should be expunged from the amended Act.

Section 84(12) as amended had included that all political appointees must vacate three months from office before vying for any elective position in Nigeria.

Immediately after the judgment, Malami in a statement on Monday declared that:

“The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will accordingly give effect to the Court judgment in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment.

“The judgment of the Court will be recognized by the Government printers in printing the Electoral Act.

” The Act will be gazetted factoring the effect of the judgment into consideration and deleting the constitutionally offensive provision accordingly.

“The provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not part of our law and will be so treated accordingly.

“This is in line with the dictates of chapter 7, Part 4, Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on enforcement of decisions that makes it a point of duty and obligation on all authorities and persons to have the judgment of the federal High Court, among others, to be enforced.

March 19, 2022
2023: Get acquainted with new Electoral Act – Okowa tells PDP aspirants

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has tasked members and aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to get acquainted with the new Electoral Act.

The governor gave the charge while swearing-in the Senior Political Adviser and three Special Advisers on Monday in Asaba.

The appointees are; Chief Funkekeme Solomon, Senior Political Adviser; Mr Austine Ayemidejor, Chief Emmanuel Onyeuku and Mr Darlington Ijeh as Special Advisers.

Okowa said; “let me enjoin all members of our party, the PDP, especially the aspirants, to get thoroughly acquainted with the new Electoral Act.

“Going forward, we are under obligation to ensure that our utterances, conduct and actions are always guided by the provisions of the law.

“As a party, the PDP at both the national and state levels has never been stronger, more cohesive, and more united.

“As individuals or groups, we must shun anything that will undermine the new spirit in the PDP.

“If we do this, I can say without any fear of contradiction that the PDP is poised to reign supreme, come 2023”.

Okowa said that the appointment of the SA’s would enable his administration attain the Stronger Delta mantra given the appointees wealth of experience.

He charged them to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with section 196 (Sub-section 1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“This is crunch time, and a lot is expected from you in terms of sacrifice, dedication, and fidelity to the cause of a Stronger Delta standing on the tripod of Prosperity, Peace, and Progress.

“I urge you to make fairness and equity your watchwords in the discharge of your duties.

Indeed, it is my earnest expectation that you will justify the confidence reposed in you by this appointment,” he said.

While congratulating the appointees, Okowa described their appointment as well deserved and necessary to bring in more experienced hands.

“These men are adroit in their ability to marry policy and politics and are expected to help to bolster the administration’s efforts to finish strong in an electioneering year.

“They have been part and parcel of our S.M.A.R.T, now Stronger Delta, vision, and have acquitted themselves as strategic thinkers, astute administrators, and capable leaders, essential qualities required for the office,” Okowa said.

Responding on behalf of the appointees, the Senior Political Adviser, Solomon, thanked God for the appointment and appreciated the governor for considering them for the job.

He pledged their collective resolve and commitment to deliver on their duties to ensure that the people of the state got full benefit of their service.

The State Deputy Gov. Kingsley Otuaro, the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, were among other dignitaries that graced the event.

March 14, 2022
Electoral Act: I will personally remain grateful to President Buhari — Epelle

The Chief Executive Officer of the Albino Foundation Mr Jake Epelle, has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari over the amended Electoral Act 2022 for including people living with disabilities.

He gave the commendation on Sunday in Abuja, when he featured on Newsmen Forum.

Epelle, who said that the Albino Foundation led the move for review of the Electoral Act component that has disability, said “the efforts of the community of persons living with disabilities with regards to inclusiveness in electoral processes has paid off.

“You know, we led the move that repealed what can be classified as draconian law 2010 Electoral Act, Section 56, sub-section two that says that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may reasonably accommodate persons with disability.

“We came up with a position and the National Assembly invited me to come and present that.

“So, when I was invited, I told them, it is not only me; so I took the community of persons with disability.

“We went and we addressed the joint session of the house and today, to the glory of God, that has been repealed.

“The 2022 Electoral Act, Section 54, sub-section one and two captured disability.

“There has never been any time that any Electoral Act has been inclusive as what we have today.

“That is why we were at the forefront asking Mr President, you have signed the act, you have another opportunity to write your name in gold and sign the Electoral Act because it is inclusive and he did.

“For me, this is one thing that President Buhari has done that the community will never forget.

“No president has done that and I personally will remain grateful to him.”

Epelle said that getting the foundation on the course of the disability movement was to ensure that albinism was rightfully captured as a disability.

This, he said, was because the United Nations captured albinism as a disability and to engage better, it had to be in tune with other movements that were affiliated with the disability cause.

According to him, the right term to refer to them is “Person(s) with Albinism” and not albinos as they are popularly called.

Newsmen reports that the Electoral Bill which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Feb. 25 has paved the way for persons living with disability to be incorporated into the electoral process.

March 13, 2022
Buhari’s bill to amend Electoral Act dumped at second reading

The bill to amend the Electoral Act, 2022 was dumped at second reading stage on Wednesday as Senators ensured it was killed.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the upper and lower legislative chambers seeking amendment to Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 to pave way for political office holders to serve as delegates.

The section in the Electoral Act which barred political office holders from serving as delegates of political parties during conventions of political parties, Buhari said was denial of democratic rights of certain citizens.

The bill was read the fist time on Tuesday amid controversy banning the amendment exercise by the Justice Inyang Ekwo-led Federal High Court.

Justice Ekwo ruled on the ex-parte application brought before the court by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he ruled that the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives should not tamper with amendment of 84(12) of the Electoral Amendment Act.

But on Tuesday and Wednesday, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan insisted that lawmaking was within the powers of the parliament, hence, nothing should encumber the legislative houses from making laws.

He urged the Senate leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi Abubakar to read the bill on Wednesday. The bill however, failed and by legislative processes, it won’t be read for the third time.

March 9, 2022