The Senate has gone into an executive session following communication by President Muhammadu Buhari concerning the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021.
President Buhari has responded to the Bill transmitted to him by the National Assembly for his assent, rejecting the clause that provided for compulsory direct primary election mode imposed on political parties.
The 30 days stipulated by law for Buhari to assent to the Bill or otherwise elapsed Sunday, December 19, 2021, a development that may likely pitch within the National Assembly against the Presidency.
Lawmakers were already mobilising themselves awaiting the official communication on Monday, to enable them take a decision this Tuesday.
The lawmakers were supposed to proceed for a recess last week but deferred it till this week.
The lawmakers claimed their inability to pass the 2022 Appropriation Bill was as a result of the non-inclusion of the 2023 Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) election budget and the N400 billion fund for national census to be conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in 2022.
But sources said the delay tactics employed by the presidency on the Electoral Bill forced the lawmakers not to proceed on recess.
The closed-door meeting started at about 10:44am this Tuesday morning and might not be unconnected with the Electoral Act (Amendment Bill), the 2022 budget and the screening of a ministerial nominee from Taraba State.
