On 30-day Deadline, Buhari yet to act on Electoral Act Amendment Bill

20 Dec On 30-day Deadline, Buhari yet to act on Electoral Act Amendment Bill

President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to act on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill presented to him for assent by the legislature, 30 days ago.

The 30-day window for President Buhari to assent the bill elapsed last night, but one of his aides said yesterday that the President is not legally bound to publicly declare his decision on the bill.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has said on Channels Television programme “Sunday Politics,” yesterday that his boss owes no obligation to make his decision public despite the provision of the constitution.

The section of the constitution does not specify who the president should signify to within the stipulated days about his decision.

Shehu argued that taking such a decision to the public without the knowledge of the National Assembly will amount to “unkind treatment of the lawmakers”.

“I’m not in a position to tell you, yes or no. But given the way things are done, the president would have completed his consultations some time back. The president would be communicating with the National Assembly on whatever he decides, either yes or no.

“And as I said, it would be disrespectful of the National Assembly, for me at this time, to say this is the content of the president’s communication, assuming that the communication has been sent to them. So as I said, allow them to resume, I believe that the president will not act in breach of the Constitution. No, he will do what is right.

“The constitution says the president must sign within 30 days, the constitution did not say that there should be the disclosure of that decision within 30 days to the public when the disclosure to the National Assembly has been made,” Mr Shehu said.

Reports say President Buhari may communicate with the National Assembly today