The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) has reiterated that President Buhari will not be pressured into signing the electoral bill if it is against the dictates of democratic ethos. The Minister insisted that he would advise the President to reject the amended bill if he was not satisfied with the new version, “Certainly, if I am not satisfied and if I am of the opinion that it is against the public interest, the national interest; and then against the dictates of democratic process, I would advise accordingly.”
He added, “But then, one thing I can tell you is that we are all interested in leaving behind a legacy of a lasting democracy; a democracy that indeed accommodates the collective interest of the Nigerian state, and eventually advances the national interest, national development and deepens the democratic process.
“So, with these considerations associated with deepening democracy; with the considerations associated with the national and public interest, we will certainly do whatever it takes to move democracy to the next level.”
When asked to express to Nigerians his commitment to deepening democracy in Nigeria, the minister stated that his office is a constitutional one, which is fundamentally governed by public interest. “And when we are talking of the public interest, I am talking of the interest of 200 million Nigerians. I will be guided at all times by my oath of office associated with public interest, exclusive of the sentiments or the feelings,” he added.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had reworked the electoral bill for the second time by concurring on consensus candidacy and setting fresh conditions for political parties in the nomination of candidates for elections.
The President had last year vetoed the electoral bill and sent it back to the National Assembly over the restriction of political parties to direct primary, insisting on the direct or indirect.
The House had amended Clause Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, which is Clause 84 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, by inserting the indirect primary option.
The Senate, however, not only added indirect primary but also consensus adoption of candidates for elections by a political party.
By passing different amendments to the bill, the Senate and the House were expected to refer the versions to a conference committee to harmonise the differences and report back for final passage and transmission to the President for assent.
However, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, last week, took a shorter route by rescinding their decisions on the amendments last week and re-amending the electoral bill.
This time, the House concurred with the Senate on the consensus, while both chambers passed the same conditions set for the option.
The President had said in his interview with Channels TV on January 5, 2022 that he would sign the bill once the mandatory direct primary clause was removed.
He said, “All I said was that there should be options. We must not insist that it should be direct (primary); there should also be consensus and indirect (primary options) and if they do that, I will sign. I will sign. All I would like is that there should be options. Allow them (political parties) to have other options.”