President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 into law.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Personal Assistant on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad disclosed this in on his official Twitter page.
A signing ceremony was held at the federal executive council (FEC) chamber in the presidential villa in Abuja.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, tabled the document for signing.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, and Kayode Fayemi, chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) are among the dignitaries present at the ceremony.
Buhari had initially rejected the bill after the national assembly made direct primary compulsory for political parties in the country, saying the provision “violates the spirit of democracy”.
The senate and house of representatives reworked the bill to provide for indirect and direct primary, as well as consensus candidates.
Political Parties are now at liberty to use any of the three aforementioned options to elect their candidates for any election that will be organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Electronic transmission of election results is part of the new provisions in the bill.
This is a developing story.
