Electoral Act: We’re committed to use of card readers, PVC in 2019 – FG

The Presidency on Wednesday said that President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to the use of card readers and Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) during the 2019 general elections, just as it described media reports on the status of the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill, 2018, as false, misleading and a calculated attempt to cast aspersion on the Buhari administration.

According to the Presidency, the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill, 2018, was sent by the National Assembly to the Presidency at the end of June 2018, for assent following extensive consideration, the Presidency engaged with the National Assembly to raise concerns regarding errors and inconsistencies found in the submitted version.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, who disclosed this on Wednesday, stated that the National Assembly had on July 24, 2018, met to review and correct the bill.

He stated that the bill was given a clause by clause consideration by the Senate on July 24, 2018.

Shehu said, “The votes and proceedings from the Senate on July 24, 2018, attest to this. The Senate resolved to rescind its decision on a number of clauses included in the version they had earlier sent for consideration by the President, and to reconsider these clauses.”

According to the Senate votes and proceedings of July 24, 2018: “The Senate notes that in the course of final cleaning of the bill as passed, some provisions were found to negate the essence of the amendment and resolves to rescind its decision on clauses 3,5,8,11(2), 13(b), 14 (4), 15(3), 18,21,23,24,28,32 and 38 of the bill as passed, and recommit same to committee of the whole for reconsideration and passage.

“The re-considered bill was passed by the Senate on July 24, 2018; the same day that plenary was adjourned to September 25, 2018.

“The revised version of the Electoral Act (amendment) bill, 2018, with corrections by the National Assembly, and dated the August 2, was received by the Presidency on August 3.

“The President has 30 days from the date of receipt, to assent to or decline the bill. The bill is therefore still under consideration by the Presidency. The allegation that the President declined assent to the bill because of objections to the use of card readers are wild and baseless.

“President Buhari did not and has never raised any objections to the use of card readers for elections in Nigeria. On the contrary, he has always been a passionate advocate for the use of PVCs and card readers in elections in Nigeria, mindful of the role that card readers and PVCs played in the election that brought him into office.”