Politics
Senate turns down Buhari’s request to delete section 84(12) of Electoral Act
The Senate yesterday turned down President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to amend the Electoral Act, 2022 that specifically requested for the Senate to outrightly delete section 84(12)
This followed the woeful failure of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to scale through second reading on the floor during plenary.
The proposed law, “A bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022” was overwhelmingly rejected during its second reading
Before a voice vote on the bill, for which the nays had it, several lawmakers spoke against going ahead to amend the Act and urged that the Senate abide by a court ruling, which stopped the National Assembly from tampering with the electoral law.
President Buhari had, in a letter to the National Assembly last week, asked the federal lawmakers to amend the Act, by deleting Section 84 (12), which, according to him, constitutes a “defect” that is in conflict with extant Constitutional provisions.
The section required political appointees to resign their appointment before participating in primary elections.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday barred President Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Senate President from tampering with the Act.
The judge, Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on an ex-parte application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the Electoral Act had become a valid law and could not be amended without following the due process of law.
The Court maintained that the Electoral Act, has become a valid law could not be altered without following the due process of law.
But the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, said the court ruling would not stop the National Assembly from amending the Electoral Act 2022.
He said the court ruling violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on Separation of Powers
In the move to reject the bill, Senator Adamu Aliero fired the first salvo for the bill to be stepped down after the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, moved a motion for the bill to be read a second time.
Aliero, who came under a point of order, drew the attention of his colleagues to the provision of Rule 52(5) of the Senate Standing Order.
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Order 52(5) provides that, “Reference shall not be made to any matter on which a judicial decision is pending, in such a way as might in the opinion of the President of the Senate prejudice the interest of parties thereto.”
He, therefore, advised the upper chamber to step down consideration of the bill pending the vacation of a court order delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday.
According to the Lawmaker, going ahead with the amendment of the Act was in clear conflict with the sub judice rule in law which prevents the legislature from deliberating or considering any matter already before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Going ahead to consider the bill obviously will mean that we are disrespecting that order, and this is an institution of the Senate – the symbol of Nigeria’s Lawmaking body.
“We should not be seen to be disobeying the court order. No matter how bad that court order is, we should respect it.
“So, I’m of the opinion that we should stop considering this bill pending the time the court set aside that order, and I think I’m speaking the opinion of my colleagues here”, Aliero said.
The Senate President, while ruling on Aliero’s point of Order, insisted that the move by the upper chamber to amend the Electoral Act was in line with exercising its Constitutional duties amid following due process.
“To be specific to this particular request, for us in the Senate, it is to look at the request and follow our due process.
“Looking at the request does not mean granting the request. Members of the National Assembly are at liberty to review the request to see if the arguments by the Executive arm of government are convincing enough.
“If the arguments are not convincing enough, the National Assembly can deny the request, and that is how it is. We have no incumbrance from that order.
“So, it is for Senators here to decide to vote for this amendment or vote against it.
“I think we are not breaching any law, in fact, we are trying to promote democracy because to do otherwise may mean that one day someone will go to court and say that the Senate of the National Assembly should not sit.
“I want to appeal to all of us, that we are on the right course and my ruling remains that we are going ahead to consider the proposal which the Leader of the Senate is leading the debate.
“At the end of the debate, we are going to vote, and the vote will decide the fate of the bill.
“I’m sure all of us know that whatever we do here is to protect democracy and the sanctity of the upper chamber”, the Senate President said.
The Senate Leader was then given the floor to lead the debate on the Electoral Act Amendment bill.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), kicked against the deletion of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as requested by President Buhari.
He said, “There are certain things that we see which we think we don’t even have to come here to debate.
“One of those things is the fact that in every democracy, all over the world, there are certain rules which we don’t need to be told about.
“One of those rules is the fact that you cannot be a referee and a player on the same field. It is either you’re a referee or a player.
“So, every other place in the world where democracy is practised including Nigeria, we don’t need to be told that if we want to run for office, we have to resign. That is a sine qua non that we don’t even need to debate.
“Yet here we are today in Nigeria, and people think they can sit in an office and contest an election and become candidates and continue to sit in that office until the date of the election.
“So, how would we continue to debase democracy in this way?
“Mr President, I think, a cursory look at this paper shows that this paper is dead on arrival. And I urge you, my colleagues, to help us to continue to deepen democracy by insisting that this bill not be read a second time in any manner whatsoever.”
Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), who was also opposed to the consideration of the bill said, “one of the hallmarks of democracy is Justice, Fairness and Equity.
“Indeed, Mr President, it is a settled matter in law that you cannot be a judge over you own case.
“In any election, where people have the added advantage of holding executive power, either by proxy or directly or by appointment, for such people to have access and compete with others who came from the street, I think is an unjust society.
“Therefore, Mr President, I disagree with all the arguments on the need to consider a decision that has already been settled.”
A move by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, to sway his colleagues were unsuccessful.
The bill, when eventually put to a voice vote for a second reading by the Senate President after its consideration, received a resounding ‘nay’ from Senators in the majority across party lines
During the voice votes, a drama had ensued as Lawan after calling out for votes was shocked that the Ayes was a lonely voice for which he decided to repeat the call asking his colleagues whether they did not hear him.
After the repeated call for votes, the Nays still had it overwhelmingly
The Senate leader Yahaya Abdullahi while leading the debate said, “Permit to lead the debate on this very important bill seeking to amend section 84(12). The bill was read the first time on Tuesday
“You may recall that the bill was passed into law and assented to by the President and commander in chief on the 25th February 2022, however, the president expressed reservation on section 84(12) which states as follows, No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days earlier to the national election.
“This provision has been interpreted by as being interpreted by the executive arm government as introducing qualification and disqualification criteria that are ultra vires to the Constitution by way of disqualification of serving political officeholders.
“It is my humble opinion that this proposed amendment be looked into by this distinguished senate which can come out with an objective position that will strengthen our electoral processes as well as our democratic disposition.
The Obi–Kwankwaso (OK) Movement in Enugu State has raised concerns over an alleged attempt to create division and destabilise the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The movement urged party members and supporters to remain united and disregard directives or announcements that do not come from recognised party leadership.
In a statement issued by its Chief Press Secretary, Ani Ifeanyi Moses, the group alleged that some individuals were working to create what it described as a “non-existent faction” within the NDC.
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It said the alleged plot involved impersonation, unauthorised claims of leadership and the circulation of misinformation intended to cause confusion among party members.
According to the movement, the alleged activities were coming at a critical period when members should be concentrating on preparations for the 2027 elections rather than internal disputes.
The group specifically accused some individuals of impersonating party officials and attempting to undermine the NDC’s structure in Enugu State.
“It is intentional to create division and confusion, knowing that Enugu is the support base of Mr. Peter Obi, and we must resist it,” the statement said.
The movement described the alleged actions as a threat to democratic principles and called on those behind them to immediately stop.
It urged all parties involved in any disagreement within the NDC to rely on the party’s internal mechanisms and legal processes for resolution.
The group also appealed to political actors to respect constitutional democracy and the rule of law, warning against actions that could further deepen divisions within the political movement.
The OK Movement equally cautioned against involving young Nigerians in political conflicts, stressing that individual political ambitions should not be allowed to overshadow the broader objective of building what it described as a credible political alternative ahead of 2027.
It called on NDC members and supporters of the Obi–Kwankwaso movement in Enugu to remain calm, united, vigilant and resolute.
The movement further advised members to disregard any directives that were not issued through recognised party leadership or official communication channels.
It also urged supporters to verify political information before acting on it, particularly information contained in unauthorised announcements or messages circulated through unofficial channels.
Describing the political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections as a “New Nigeria project,” the movement maintained that the initiative was greater than individual political ambitions or the pursuit of public offices.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to democratic values, accountability and good governance, while pledging to continue mobilising support for what it described as a competent and people-centred government in 2027.
The movement concluded by appealing to its members to remain focused and united, warning that internal divisions could weaken their collective political aspirations as the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded a major milestone in its preparations for the 2027 general elections after successfully completing the upload of all its governorship, deputy governorship and State House of Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Candidate Nomination Portal.
The announcement was made on Friday by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, in a statement shared via his official X handle, where he congratulated party leaders, members and candidates nationwide on the successful completion of the nomination process.
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According to Yilwatda, the APC achieved a 100 per cent upload of its candidates across the country, submitting 56 governorship and deputy governorship candidates alongside 1,015 State House of Assembly candidates to the INEC portal ahead of the 2027 polls.
“Congratulations to our leaders, members, and candidates across the country on the successful completion of the nomination process for the 2027 General Elections,” he said.
“I am pleased to announce that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has successfully achieved a 100% upload of all our 56 Governorship and Deputy Governorship, and 1,015 State House of Assembly candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal.”
The APC chairman described the achievement as a clear indication of the party’s organisational capacity and readiness for the next stage of the electoral process.
“This milestone reflects the organizational strength of our great party,” Nentawe stated.
With the nomination process now concluded, the ruling party said it would shift its attention to engaging Nigerians while highlighting the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“With this phase successfully concluded, we remain focused on engaging Nigerians with our vision, and building on the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda as we prepare for victory in 2027,” he added.
The completion of the candidate upload marks a key requirement in the electoral process and positions the APC among the first major political parties to conclude the nomination phase ahead of what is expected to be a keenly contested 2027 general election.
Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has opened up on the political events that led to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara abandoning his bid for a second term, blaming the outcome on poor advice from political associates and external interests.
Speaking during the August edition of his monthly media chat aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Wike said he repeatedly warned Fubara against abandoning the political structure that brought him to power.
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“I said, look, don’t derail. I came as governor, I had crisis. When I came as governor, there was nothing. They didn’t even relocate the Government House,” Wike said.
The former Rivers governor recalled inheriting an administration with limited resources, revealing that he had to borrow ceremonial vehicles from former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko.
“When I came, I had to borrow vehicles from the former governor of Ondo, Mimiko, these parade vehicles. Nobody kept any vehicle; I didn’t have one vehicle.
“But before I left as governor, I packed out from Government House one and a half years before. I renovated Government House. I bought vehicles for the governor, the deputy governor and the governor’s wife. I did that,” he stated.
Wike said he expected Fubara to consolidate on the foundation he laid instead of distancing himself from the political family that supported his emergence.
“Somebody had laid a foundation. Look, this is where I stopped. If you continue this way, our dream is to be able to compete with Lagos. What is wrong with that?” he said.
According to the minister, some individuals who had initially opposed Fubara’s emergence as governor later became his close allies and allegedly encouraged him to confront those who backed his political rise.
“Somebody comes, and that’s why you have to be careful. Those who didn’t want you to be governor now became your friends. Obviously, they will destroy you, thinking that coming closer to you is to fight us.
“At the end of the fight, I have not lost anything. What have I lost? Nothing. But you have lost. Your intention was to go for a second term, is it not correct? And you are not going,” Wike said.
Asked whether he still loved Fubara despite their political differences, Wike responded:
“If I don’t love him, why would we support him? That’s the point I’m making.”
The FCT minister disclosed that both camps had at one point considered reconciliation, but political considerations ultimately stalled the process.
“There was a time we all thought, we all agreed, and said, ‘Look, can we allow bygones to be bygones?’ But something fundamental came up in politics.
“They said, ‘Look, if you allow this now, there are those who are here who want to see that we are no longer politically relevant,'” he said.
Wike further alleged that external interests sought to hijack Rivers State for financial gain, claiming some influential individuals advised Fubara to resist his political camp.
“When this thing happened, they were so bitter that they started giving the governor wrong advice: ‘Don’t worry, the law says this, the law didn’t say this.’
“They were sending them aircraft, then they would relax in the jet. To them, they were king. So, for him to continue to be there, they would exert that kind of influence.
“We said no, this cash cow must end now. You won’t have it again. Take as much as you can, but you have to stop,” Wike added.
The political rift between Wike and Fubara began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023 and later escalated into a prolonged power struggle involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, impeachment threats and a state of emergency.
Although Fubara later obtained nomination forms to contest the All Progressives Congress governorship primaries for a second term, he withdrew from the race in May 2026.
Wike maintained that the political crisis and the decisions taken by the governor during the dispute ultimately cost him the opportunity to seek re-election.
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