2023: NON-SIGNING OF ELECTORAL ACT, BLESSING IN DISGUISE—BALA MOHAMMED
Written by AIGBOKHAEBHO OKHUELEIGBE on May 25, 2022
Bauchi State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Aspirant, Bala Mohammed Says the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, was in favour of aspirants like him.
According to him, the process of amending the electoral act did not start on time, and signing now might go against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for elections.
Mohammed said this on Wednesday while fielding questions from State House Correspondents after leading a delegation on a thank-you-visit to the President for inaugurating a N23.5 billion World Bank Assisted Upgraded Bauchi Township Water Supply Scheme.
Some political parties had in recent times pressured President Buhari to assent to the amendment to current Section 84 (8) which provides that delegates to vote at the Indirect Primaries and National Convention of political parties to elect candidates for elections shall be those democratically elected for that purpose only.
The implication is that statutory delegates, such as elected political office holders, political appointees, and executive officers of political parties are not eligible to vote at primaries to nominate candidates for the 2023 general election.
The new Section 84 has in effect drastically pruned the number of delegates for party indirect primaries and reduced the financial implications of delegate elections.
Asked how he felt that the President has not signed the electoral act, he said:
Well, I’m a realist. I believe that the Electoral Act is a product of the legislative process and that has been done, if it was not done earlier then we have a timeline and guideline of INEC, so we’ll have to manage it.
I think the less the merrier as somebody who is in the race. Well, I have fewer delegates to go and woo, it is better for me than all these 4,000, 5,000 delegates. Anyway, that is my take.
Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe
