President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after a two-day visit to the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Presidential aircraft carrying the president and members of his entourage landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 4.10 p.m.
While in Abu Dhabi, Buhari met the new President of the UAE, His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to whom he conveyed his and Nigeria’s condolences on the passing of the former president and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
During a short interaction with Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, Buhari expressed his condolences and that of Nigeria on the demise of the late Sheikh Khalifah and congratulated the new president on his election.
Buhari expressed optimism that under Sheikh Mohamed the two countries would continue to actively champion a vision of sustainable security, strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, and promote prosperity and development.
NAN reports that the Nigerian leader returned to Abuja amidst confusion on whether or not he had signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill forwarded to him by the National Assembly few days ago.
The amendment is crucial to the participation of statutory delegates at the primaries and national convention of political parties.
They have been excluded from voting and being voted for during the exercises in the previous amendment signed into law by the President.
When asked to confirm whether or not Buhari had indeed assented to the latest amendment, the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Jide Omoworare, simply said the president ”should have signed” the amended fresh electoral act into law.
Also a member of the House of Representatives, Emeka Chinedu, representing Ahiazu/ Ezinihittee Mbaise Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was quoted by a national newspaper confirming that the prssident signed the fresh amended electoral act bill on May 21.
“I can confirm to you that Mr President signed the bill into law this afternoon and we are all happy about it as it will give us and other statutory delegates the power to vote at the primaries,” Chinedu said.
However, NAN reliably gathered that the president had not signed the latest Electoral Act Amendment as being speculated in some quarters.
