The electoral act 2022 has been amended by the Nigerian senate to allow statutory delegates participate in political parties’ congresses and conventions.
The earlier version assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari this year, prevents statutory delegates which include councillors, local government chairmen and their vice, political party chairmen in all the 774 LGAs, state and federal lawmakers, governors and their deputies, president and vice president, political parties’ National Working Committee members, state party chairmen and secretaries, from taking part in party primaries.
The new bill sponsored by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and passed during plenary on Tuesday May 10, allows statutory delegates, in addition to the delegates elected by various political parties, to vote during congresses and conventions to elect candidates for various political offices.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan who noted that the “unintended clause” had to be amended before commencement of party primaries, said the House of Representatives would also pass the same amendment on Wednesday May 11, before transmitting it to the president for assent latest next week, to ensure no one is denied his rights during political parties’ activities.
