Nigeria's Buhari Won't Budge to Sign Electoral Bill Amendment

President Muhammadu Buhari has not yet signed the amendment to the country's electoral bill.

Buhari who vowed to reform the electoral process after clinching the presidency in his fourth attempt, declined his assent over an aspect of the bill: direct primaries for parties as against indirect primaries, which allowed governors more latitude to influence the electoral process, writes Premium Times.

According to Vanguard, the president refused assent because the parties have their various constitutions that indicate that primaries should be conducted either directly or indirectly. Until such provisions are amended, asking parties to pick candidates through direct primaries would mean forcing the parties to conduct primaries through direct means, which according to the president, amounts to abuse of the constitutions of the parties.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Abubakar Malami has said that if the amended electoral bill is allowed to stay, it will worsen insecurity and political instability in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari (file photo).

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