The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday amended Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Act 2022 to grant statutory delegates the right to attend and vote at their respective parties’ primaries, conventions and meetings.
Driving the news
Statutory delegates or elected officers according to Nigeria’s constitution includes the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly, governors and their deputies, members of the state Houses of Assembly, council chairmen, councilors and National Working Committees (NWCs) of political parties.
- The bill sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central), if not amended, would have seen these delegates miss out on voting at their parties’ respective primaries, convention and meetings.
Why it matters
The House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Executive have to pass and assent the Electoral Act, 2022 (amended version) as party primaries in Nigeria are in eight days.
Key provisions of the Electoral Act 2022
- The Electoral Act 2022 signed into law in February 2022 instituted key provisions such as early release of funds to Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, early submission of party flag bearers to INEC, and use of e-voting and electronic transmission of results.
- Other changes include reviewing of false documents can now only be challenged by aspirants who participated in a primary election, assisting of voters with disabilities at polling unit, cancelation of results if it supersedes the number of accredited voters, reviewing of election results declared under duress, commencement of campaign 150 days before election and suspension of election in case of death of nominees.