The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, has accused some presidential aides and top APC leaders of misleading President Muhammadu Buhari on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022.
Naija News recalls that the National Assembly had amended the Electoral Act to allow statutory delegates to participate in congresses, primaries and conventions of political parties.
Both chambers of the Assembly particularly amended Section 84(8) of the Act to allow automatic delegates to be involved in the forthcoming party primaries.
Following the amendment, the clerk of the National Assembly, on May 13, transmitted the amendment bill to the President for assent and Buhari had yet to sign the bill over a week ago.
In a chat with The Punch, Doguwa said some people in the Buhari cabinet and top APC leaders are advising the President not to assent to the bill.
The lawmaker said a calculated attempt to ambush the presidential primaries by declining assent to the amended clause of the Electoral Act would be rejected by Nigerians.
He said: “Some people are trying to mislead the innocent old man in the name of constitutional democracy to which they have no knowledge at all.
“Declining assent to the amended clause of the Electoral Act on statutory delegates would amount to a calculated design to ambush the presidential primaries come 30th May/1st June 2022, which I believe Nigerians will not accept.”
He also advised political parties to ignore the delay by the President to assent to the amendment of the electoral act and approve statutory delegates based on their respective constitutions.
This article was originally published on Nigeria News