Gbajabiamila assures Reps will review party primaries in Electoral Act Bill Wednesday

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday assured that the House of Representatives will on Wednesday review the provision of direct primaries in the controversial Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Gbajabiamila at the resumption of the lawmakers after the new tear break, noted there is difference between the version of the electoral act bill sent to President Muhammadu Buhari and the one circulating in the public. The Speaker mandated a committee to investigate the discrepancy.

Speaker Gbajabiamila discountenanced the possibility of the federal lawmakers overriding President Buhari on his observations on the controversial bill.

He, however, stated that the argument that political parties do not have a proper register of all their members is an indictment of the parties themselves. The speaker questioned how the parties have been conducting internal elections through direct or indirect methods without a comprehensive register.

President Buhari had after consultations, declined assent to the electoral act amendment bill, rejecting the imposition of direct primaries on political parties by the federal lawmakers. The President promised to assent to the bill if the National Assembly reviews the imposition of direct primaries on parties.