The House of Representatives has amended the Electoral Act, 2022, to allow statutory delegates participate and vote in the conventions, congresses, or meetings of political parties.
Sponsored by Abubakar Fulata, the ‘Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, No. 13, 2022; and for Related Matters’ was passed a day after lawmakers in the Senate approved a similar amendment to the law.
Those identified as statutory delegates include the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly, governors and their deputies, members of the State Houses of Assembly, chairmen of councils, councillors, and national working committee of political parties, among others.
Its passage followed a speedy consideration of the bill which scaled first, second, and third readings on Wednesday during an emergency plenary at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja.
The proceedings began with an executive session for some housekeeping with the Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase, presiding as Mr Femi Gbajabiamila was absent.
About half an hour later, the plenary resumed while the bill was speedily passed through the first and second readings.
But there was a rowdy moment when the motion for consideration of the bill was put to vote and a majority of the lawmakers in attendance voted against it. The bill was eventually passed after some of the issues raised were cleared.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers have observed a minute of silence for civilians and soldiers killed by bandits on Monday in Takum, Taraba State.
They appealed to the Federal Government to address the manpower dearth in the military, as a way of intensifying the fight against criminals in the country.
The deputy speaker also directed relevant committees of the House to address the lingering strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Outside the chamber, the Leader of the House, Ado Doguwa, gave details of the rejected amendment clause which generated an uproar among the lawmakers.
He also reacted to the judgement of the Court of Appeal that set aside the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abia which nullified Section84 (12) of the Electoral Act.
