– The lawmakers on Wednesday, October 10, had a debate on a new bill on the amendment
– The new bill was sponsored by Senator Suleiman Gamawa of the Bauchi Peoples Democratic party
Members of the eighth Senate has began fresh moves to amend the rejected Electoral Act.
The Senators move followed the rejection of two bills seeking the amendment of the Act by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Daily Trust reports that a new bill on the amendment of the Electoral Act was presented on Wednesday, October 10, for first reading before the eighth Senate.
The bill later passed second reading after about an hour of debate during plenary.
Sponsoring the new bill, Senator Suleiman Gamawa of the Peoples Democratic party in Bauchi state said, the amendments sought included that where a smart card reader fails to function and a fresh one is not deployed, the election in that unit shall be cancelled and rescheduled within 24 hours.
He said another aspect of the amendment is that where a primary election is held and duly certified by the electoral umpire, and the result is subsequently altered, INEC shall have power to overrule the alteration.
Also, with the new bill, the maximum amount to be spent during campaigns by a presidential candidate at not more than N5 billion; governorship N1 billion; senatorial N100 million; House of Reps N70 million; state assembly N30 million; chairmanship N30 million and councilorship N500,000.
Gamawa noted that if at the point of display or distribution of ballot papers by INEC, a candidate or his agent discovers that his name, the name or logo of his political party is omitted, such person shall notify the commission, as a result of which election in the area shall be postponed to a period not exceeding 90 days.
While a good number of the lawmakers kicked against some of the proposed amendments, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara) said there was no logic in putting the campaign expenses of a presidential candidate at N5 billion, considering the large number of polling units and other expenses.
However, the deputy speaker of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu said he was worried about the omission of a candidate’s name on the ballot paper.
“I’m very worried about item 7, which is on missing name of a candidate on the ballot paper. This is very dangerous because somebody who knows he can’t win election will raise the alarm and make other candidates suffer for it,” Ekweremadu said.
https://cartisplatform./2018/10/11/nonstop-lawmakers-seek-amendment-for-electoral-act/