President Muhammadu Buhari has again withheld his assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters ( Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has disclosed.
This will make it the fourth time the President would decline assent to the bill after refusing the previous times citing “drafting issues”.
Enang, who spoke with State House correspondents, however, refused to state Buhari’s reasons, only admitting that the bill was returned to the National Assembly.
Enang said “the president has taken a decision in accordance with the powers vested in him according to the Constitution. And by convention that decision contained in the communication can only be revealed by the person to whom that decision is addressed. But the electoral bill has left Mr. President because he has taken a decision and has remitted it back.”
Not wanting to say much on the president’s decision, Enang, told journalists he was not allowed ‘by convention’ to reveal much until the National Assembly received the President’s communication.
Speaking further, Enang said, “Thank You very much, but this is all the law allows me to say by convention. Mr. President has sent that communication to the National Assembly.”