Electoral Bill: We have advised Buhari accordingly – Malami

Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), says his office has advised President Muhammadu Buhari on the Electoral Amendment Bill and it is left to him to either sign it into law or not.

The constitutional timeline for the President’s signature expires on Sunday, December 19, and with Buhari jetting back into the country from Turkey where he was for the Turkish-Africa Partnership Summit, the signs are not clear whether he will sign the Bill into law.

However, the National Assembly has the power to exercise their veto and transmute the Bill  into law but most Nigerians are not confident they will want to go against the Executive.

Malami who spoke on the imbroglio that has trailed the bill since it was transmitted to the President by the National Assembly three weeks ago, said his office had officially written its legal opinion to President Buhari on the Bill and the onus is now on the President to either sign the Bill into law or not.

Also Read: CSOs urge NASS to use veto power if Buhari fails to sign Electoral Act Amendment Bill

While fielding questions from journalists on Saturday through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Malami said though it was premature of him to comment on a process involving official communication between the office of the President and the office of the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice without allowing the conclusion of the administration cycle, the general public would adequately and timely informed by the Office of the President on the decision.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had deliberated extensively on the report of the Conference Committee on the bill. 

The Senate has also passed the harmonised version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, following the consideration of the report of the conference committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on the bill.