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REP. IDEM APPLAUDS PRESIDENT BUHARI OVER ASSENT ON ELECTORAL BILL

The Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Communications, Rep. Unyime Idem has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the signing of the Amendment Electoral Bill 2022 into law.

Rep. Idem who served as a member of the House of Representatives Conference Committee for the harmonisation on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, said the signing was not only timely, but will enhance the conduct of free and credible elections in the country which the citizens have long yearned for.

Idem who represented the South-South as well as the People’s Democratic Party – PDP in the committee said the law will solve a plethora of issues peculiar to Nigeria’s polity such as the cost of politics, internal party democracy and the introduction of technology in the electoral process.

Recall that President Buhari had withheld his assent to the bill in November 2021, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections, security challenges, and possible manipulation of electoral processes by political players as part of the reasons for his decision.

The House had re-amended the bill to include the direct and indirect primary options while the Senate re-adjusted it to include the direct, indirect, and consensus modes of selecting political parties’ candidates.

The member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency thanked the Speaker and the leadership of the House for finding him worthy to be part of the harmonization committee that set the new electoral template for the country.