As deadline for the expected presidential assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, elapsed last Friday, report indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly, explaining reasons he didn’t assent to the bill.
The President pointed out the high cost of conducting primary elections as reasons he withheld assent to the bill.
Buhari also cited heightened insecurity as another reason, saying that it would be too risky to monitor direct primary elections, which may result in violation of people’s rights.
According to him, small political parties that lack capacity and structure would be marginally denied which he said, he has taken his time to study the bill and wasn’t in the interest of the country.