The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Umar el-Yakub, has described the new Electoral Act recently enacted as a tool in the hands of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver more credible and acceptable elections, beginning with 2023 General Elections.
He stated this during a media briefing at the National Assembly Wednesday. He also commended the commitment of the parliament for passing far reaching legislations that have continued to help the current government in implementing its policies and programmes.
Responding to a question on why it took President Buhari such a length of time to offer his opinion on the Electoral Act document initially transmitted for his assent, the liaison aide stated that it was not a deliberate act, as the president usually takes time seeking advice of relevant MDAs over legislations that relate with their operational mandates.
“I am in a government that operates by the rules. The constitution gives Mr. President 30 days to scrutinise it, and it is not deliberate that he waited until the last hour. He relies on advice by MDAs, and it is the aggregation of all those opinions that guide his decision. You may wish to know that on this Electoral Act amendment Bill, the INEC offered its opinion, the police which is suppose to provide security during elections offered its advice…” he said.
He added that the president’s communication to the National Assembly that Section 84(12) be expunged from the signed act, was purely to cure a constitutional conflict, as failing to act in line with the request will deny political appointees their rights to participation in political parties’ congresses and conventions unless they resign their appointments, which he noted was contrary to the spirit of the constitution.
The presidential aide also denied suggestions that President Buhari seemingly had the feeling that he must lord it over the parliament, by having things his own ways at all times.
“There was never a time that the president lorded it over the National Assembly. There is harmony in the relationship between the two arms, anchored on Mr President’s respect for the separation power, and that has been helping this government to achieve its policies,” he stated.
