Senate rescinds decision on Direct Primaries

The Senate has rescinded its decision on adoption of direct primaries in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, passed on Nov. 18, 2021 by the National Assembly.

This followed the adoption of a motion for the re-committal of the bill to the Committee of the Whole by Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi at Wednesday’s plenary.

Our correspondent reports that in the earlier approval, the Senate had amended the bill adopting Direct Primaries for political parties.

Accordingly, the upper chamber in Clause 87(2) of the report approved direct, indirect primaries or consensus as procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions.

Speaking on the motion, Abdullahi explained that the motion for re-committal of the bill to the Committee on the Whole was due to the need to address observations by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This is to make necessary amendment in accordance with Order 87(c) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022 (as amended); and relying on order 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022 ( as amended),” he said.