Reps suspend 2019 election sequence re-ordering Bill

The House of Representatives on Wednesday suspended action on the Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 2010 to make provision for sequence of elections.

This followed a request by the sponsor of the Bill, Rep. Edward Pwajok, to withdraw it.

The bill, which was listed for second reading in the Order Paper of the day, included seven other lawmakers as co-sponsors.

Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal of assent to the controversial bill, the House vowed to reintroduce it.

The president had said that the amendment to the sequence of the elections in section 25 of the Principal Act may infringe on the constitutionally-guaranteed discretion of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise and supervise all elections.

While Pwajok moved for the withdrawal of the bill, some lawmakers opposed the move.

However, the presiding Deputy Speaker of the House, Yussuf Lasun, intervened and said that the sponsor of the bill had the right to withdraw it.

“Let us remind ourselves that the mover of the motion has the right to ask the presiding officer to step down his bill and this is what Pwajok has exercised,’’ Lasun said

He ruled for the withdrawal of the bill as applied by its sponsor. (NAN)