The Nigerian Senate has spoken on President Muhammadu Buhari’s
refusal to assent to the National Assembly’s amendment of the Electoral
Act.
Spokesman of Nigerian Senate, Senator Sabi Abdullahi said that
members of the Senate were yet to deliberate on President Buhari’s
letter rejecting the amendment to the Electoral Act.
He disclosed this on Tuesday after plenary where President of the
Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the letters by Buhari rejecting amendment to
the act.
He said: “If I’m speaking on behalf of the senate and the senate has
not discussed an issue, is it fair for me to speak on that? “Yes the
letter has been read and definitely this is not the first time letters
coming from Mr. President would be read.
“It’s just the same normal communication from Mr. President and all
communication from Mr. President will definitely go through the same
legislative processes. Which means we have received it now, it’s for us
to look at it.
“The Peace Corps came, the same thing. All of it is going to receive
attention and senators and members of House of Reps as the case may be
will begin to look at it because it’s a document coming to the National
Assembly.
” Remember if we pass a bill for third reading, as long as the House
of Reps has a similar thing and they’ve not concurred, we can’t start
talking about the next stage.
“So, what we have here clearly is a letter coming back to us, it has
been read, it’s going to be approved tomorrow in the votes and
proceedings and when it is approved, subsequently if there is going to
be any action we’ll tell you what the actions are going to be.”
President Buhari on Tuesday, turned down the bill
in two separate letters addressed to the Senate president Bukola Saraki
and speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara.