Reps push for conduct of general elections in one day
By Msugh Ityokura
The House of Representatives Tuesday, passed for second reading, a bill for an act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended to provide for the conduct of general elections in one day
When passed into law, elections to the office of president, state governors, national assembly, state houses of assembly and local government area councils shall be conducted simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in consultation with the national assembly.
The proposed legislation is sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, Francis Ejiroghene Waive and 34 other lawmakers and was presented for second reading by the House leader Julius Ihonvbere.
The bill’s draft states, “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) (herein referred to as the “Principal Act”) is altered as set out in this Bill; Section 76 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting in a new subsection (3) as follows. For the Purposes of Section(1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Area Councils shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
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“Section 116 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting a new subsection (3) as follows; For the Purposes of Section (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Area Councils shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“Section 132 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting a new paragraph (a) into subsection (1) as follows; For the Purposes of Section (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Area Councils shal! hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.”
When put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu who presided over the plenary session, it was passed with majority of lawmakers voting in support.
