Real reason I didn’t sign electoral amendment bill into law – Buhari

<p><strong> President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National As­sembly on why he withheld as­sent to the Electoral Act &lpar;Amendment&rpar; Bill&comma; 2021&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>It was gathered that the pres­ident asked the National Assem­bly to expunge the direct primary clause and re-present the Bill&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>It was further gathered that the president&comma; in the letter&comma; said that prevailing situation in the country would not allow him to sign the bill&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In the letter&comma; it was also learnt that the president cited high cost of conducting direct primaries&comma; the security challenge of monitoring the elec­tion&comma; violation of citizens’ rights and marginalisation of small political parties&comma; among reasons why he re­jected the Bill&period; ­<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Buhari noted that adopt­ing direct primaries has implications on the rights of citizens to participate in the government&comma; as consti­tutionally insured&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>According to the presi­dent&comma; the conduct of direct primaries will lead to a sig­nificant spike in the cost of conducting primary elec­tions by parties&comma; as well as the increase in the cost of monitoring such elections by INEC&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He explained that the direct consequences of the high cost are monetization and that it will drive and in­crease the financial crimes and constitutes further strain on the economy&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In his view&comma; it will also stifle smaller parties with­out the enormous resources required to mobilize all par­ty members for the prima­ries&comma; a situation which&comma; he said&comma; is not healthy for the sustenance of multiparty democracy in Nigeria&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The president fur­ther stated that securi­ty agencies will also be overstretched&comma; as direct primaries will be open to participation from all and sundry&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h1><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;aisha-buhari-not-pregnant-down-with-ailment-suspected-to-be-cancer&sol;"><span style&equals;"color&colon; &num;ff0000&semi;">Aisha Buhari Not Pregnant&comma; Down With Ailment Suspected To Be Cancer<&sol;span><&sol;a><&sol;h1>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Such large turnout without effective security coordination&comma; will also en­gender intimidation and disruptions&comma; thereby rais­ing credibility issues on the outcomes of such election&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The amendment as proposed is the violation of the underlying spirit of democracy&comma; which is char­acterised by freedom of choices of which political party membership is a vol­untary exercise of the con­stitutional right of freedom of association&comma;”<&sol;strong><&sol;em> he said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>President Buhari also said the proposed amend­ment might also give rise to a plethora of litigations based on diverse grounds and issues of law&comma; including but not limited to the fact that the proposed amend­ment could not work in retrospect&comma; given that the existing constitution of the parties already registered with the Independent Na­tional Electoral Commis­sion &lpar;INEC&rpar; permits direct&comma; indirect and consensus pri­maries&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Buhari said his decision is based on informed ad­vice by relevant ministries&comma; departments and agencies of the government&comma; and careful review of the bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;