The senate on Wednesday deleted clause 87 of the electoral act amendment bill which provides for a compulsory direct primary for all political parties in the country.
The lawmakers took this decision after a motion by the Senate Leader Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi, APC) on Wednesday.
Compulsory direct primaries for political parties and electronic transmission of election results are among the amendments proposed by the National Assembly but rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari.
While moving the motion, Yahaya said order 87(c) of the senate standing orders, 2022 (as amended) and order 1(b) and 52(6) of the same orders allows the upper legislative chamber to revisit its decisions.
“That the senate rescind its decision on the affected clause of the bill as passed and recommit the same to the committee of the whole for consideration,” he said.
In the “committee of the whole”, the senate adopted clause 84 which reads: “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this act shall hold direct or indirect primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which may be monitored by the commission.”
Senators unanimously adopted the recommendations of the motion.
The National Assembly will send the bill back to Buhari after it has agreed with the House of Representatives on it.
