Silence in Senate, House over Buhari’s rejection of Electoral Act Amendment Bill

IT was all pin drop silence yesterday in the Senate and the House of Representatives after President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to decline assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill, 2018 was read to the two chambers.

All Progressives Congress (APC) senators came in their numbers to the Upper Chamber apparently to prevent an anticipated plot by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to initiate move to override the President’s assent on the controversial Bill.

The House of Representatives also failed to debate Buhari’s refusal to sign the Bill into law for the fourth time.

Senate President Bukola Saraki merely read to senators the letter dated December 6, 2018, which detailed reasons Buhari based his decision to decline to assent to Bill. Saraki filed it away after reading the letter.

The anticipation that a Point of Order will be raised for the consideration of the presidential letter was dashed when senators kept quiet.

A source noted that “apparently in line with the rule of the Senate, no senator was allowed to comment on the contents of the Presidential letter”.

It was, however, gathered that APC Senate caucus met on Monday to articulate how to foil any attempt to override the President’s assent.

Investigation also showed that the APC caucus mobilised members to ensure that they attended yesterday’s sitting.

It was gathered that members of the APC caucus were particularly spurred to action by the comments of Senator Dino Melaye on a national television on Monday on the voided Bill.

Melaye, a senator said, was too critical of the President for rejecting the Bill “for us to leave anything to chance”.

According to the senator, “We were fully on standby to oppose any motion by Melaye and other PDP senators on the rejected Bill. We were prepared. We know the stand of Melaye on matters of this nature. Nobody should be taken for granted.”

The turnout in the chamber yesterday was the highest by APC and PDP senators in recent times.

It was unclear what the next line of action will be on the rejected Bill.

In the House of Representatives, before the floor could degenerate into a rowdy session, following the reading of the President’s letter conveying his rejection of the  Bill, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, said in line with House rules, the letter would not be considered on the day it was read.

Dogara said the letter will be considered on another legislative day.

The President, in the letter dated December 6, 2018, said he declined assent to the Bill as a result of the likely confusion the new law would create for the process of the  2019 general election.

Noting some other errors in the document, the President included a proviso if he must sign the bill into law that a clause that the law becomes operational after the 2019 election be inserted.

As the Speaker concluded reading the letter,  Ali Madaki, (PDP, Kano) raised a point of order, saying  there was an urgent need for the House to debate the President’s communication because of its importance to the future of the country.

He was shut down by a counter point of order from the House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila said no House rule supports Madaki’s suggestion that the matter be debated immediately because of its importance.

“We have never, by precedence, by custom and tradition, we have never debated a letter, which is by way of information.

“If there is the need to debate the President’s letter, we will table it on the order paper for debate. Several letters have been written by several presidents before.

“It never happened. If you want to debate the letter, place it on the order paper. We are fully ready to debate it,” Gbajabiamila said.

At this point, the Speaker ruled and stepped down the matter for another legislative day.

Dogara said no matter how urgent, House rules dictate that such matters are scheduled for another legislative day for consideration.