Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declining assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The National Chairman of IPAC, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, said Nigeria is not yet ready for a direct primary model.
He called on the National Assembly to remove the direct primary clause of electing party candidates for election and transmit the amended version to the President for his assent.
He said IPAC is not disposed to the calls on the National Assembly to veto President Buhari on the matter, warning that such a decision could be counterproductive.
He said, “On the ongoing stalemate or, standoff between the Legislature and the Executive over the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill, IPAC will want to be counted as among those that are impressed with the National Assembly for the courage, high level of commitment and patriotism exhibited in the passage of a Bill that has been widely applauded as groundbreaking and transformative in the annals of the nation’s legislative chambers.
“For once, we saw our representatives disregarding partisan differences in favour of superior national interest. We saw our lawmakers stood up in a spirited battle in the course of democracy even in the face of intimidation and blackmail.
“We have noted that the only expressed grouse of the President on the basis of which he held back his assent, is the provision in the Bill for a mandatory use of Direct Primary election in the selection of flag bearers of all the political parties.
“While many may not concede to the explanations of security challenges with the other reasons given by the President, it will be difficult however, to disagree with him on the reason of complex logistics and huge financial burden that direct primary elections will imply for the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Many have canvassed the view that no amount of money should be considered too high in the efforts to sanitize the nation’s electoral process and that the Legislature should therefore, invoke its veto powers to overrule the President.
“To us in IPAC, such an action may be tantamount to a wholesale wrecking of the boat. We are of the view that, much as we may cherish its perceived benefits, the country, at this stage of the progress of its democracy, does not appear to be sufficiently ripe and prepared for the direct primary election model in the selection of political party flag bearers.
“Also, against the backdrop of the President’s decisive aversion to this particular provision of the Electoral Bill, the use of veto by the legislature may merely result in a fruitless exercise if at the end of the day, its implementation is not supported by the required funding by the executive,” he said.
