The Federal Government says all options available to it are currently being considered before a position will be taken on the Senate’s refusal to consider the request by President Muhammadu Buhari to delete section 84 (12) of the 2022 Electoral Act.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, stated this on Wednesday during a briefing after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
He said that following the National Assembly’s rejection of the request, the Federal Government will consider either putting forward another request to the parliament for reconsideration, approaching the court, or accepting the law just as it is.
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Malami further explained that even though it is the responsibility of the lawmakers to legislate, if it becomes necessary, the government will exploit other options available to it.
Channels Television had reported that while signing the Electoral Bill into law last month, President Buhari had asked the National Assembly to delete section 84 (12), which restricts sitting cabinet members from contesting for elective offices without resigning.
The president argued that “Section 84 (12) constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at Conventions or Congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the National Election”.
However, the Senate refused to consider the president’s request and threw out the bill seeking the amendment of the section with lawmakers stressing that an amendment of Section 84 (12) would be going against the civil service norms and would be injurious to the well-being of the society.
