President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, January 5, 2021, stated that he is ready to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill if the National Assembly makes the necessary adjustments.
Buhari disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television’s Maupe Ogun and Seun Okinbaloye, which aired on Wednesday, January 5, 2021.
The President, however, said such changes must include consensus candidates, indirect primary options to the mode of selecting a candidate for an election, as against the initial direct mode as the only option to conduct primaries by political parties.
“All I said (is that) there should be options,” Buhari said.
“We must not insist that it has to be direct; it should be consensus and indirect.”
Asked if he would sign if the lawmakers effect the change in that direction, he affirmed, “Yes, I will! I will sign.
“There should be options, you can’t dictate to people and say you are doing democracy. Give them other options so they can make a choice.”
Buhari had last December, officially rejected the bill which was recently passed by the National Assembly.
His decision to withhold his assent followed the inclusion of direct primary elections in the bill.
According to a letter the President sent to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, he cited insecurity and the high cost of conducting the direct primary as his reasons for rejecting the bill.
