By Haruna Salami
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang has cleared the air on the Electoral Bill pending before the President, saying he has not declined assent.
The clarification became necessary because the Electoral Bill passed by the National Assembly on July 24, 2018 and transmitted to the President on August 3, 2018 is still pending before the President (for 11 days) now and the President will give his decision within the one month time allowed by the constitution, Enang said.
“On the June 27, 2018 the National Assembly forwarded to the President an Electoral Bill that contained what Enang called “constitutional impurities and drafting inconsistencies” which the President drew the attention of the leadership and membership of the National Assembly who recalled and corrected it on July 24, 2018 and didn’t transmit it to the President until August 3, 2018.
Meanwhile, President Buhari had with him a Bill that expired on the July 26, 2018. That is the one the President, in compliance with the constitution, has formally declined assent so that it will be known that the Bill didn’t lapse on the table of the President.
However, the Bill that was passed on July 24, 2018 before the National Assembly proceeded on recess was transmitted to the President on July 3, 2018 which is awaiting Presidential consideration now.
One of the bones of contention in the earlier Bill which the President declined his assent was the sequence of election. INEC put presidential election first, but the National Assembly reordered it and put National Assembly election first. Buhari simply withheld his assent.
It is hoped that now that the National Assembly has addressed the “inadequacies” by towing Buhari’s line and therefore “no more contention” , the President will assent to it within the 30 days allowed by law.