From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Leader of the 9th Senate, Senator Abdullahi Yahaya has dismissed the notion that the Senate lacked the powers to enact laws for political parties, as well as conduct their primary elections.
Abdullahi’s position is sequel to the recent concurrence of both the upper and lower legislative chambers of the National Assembly in expanding the mode of selecting candidates for elections by political parties as observed by President Muhammadu Buhari, bwo advised that the clause be amended in the controversial Electoral Bill to include direct, indirect primaries and consensus for the selection of candidates by parties.
Giving a clearer perspective, the Senate leader who sponsored the motion to amend the controversial clause 84 of the Electoral Act (2010), said that as stated in the Act itself the Senate had already been granted the powers to legislate over the political affairs of political parties, including the conduct of their primary elections.
Following President Buhari’s refusal to sign the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment ) Bill 2021, the Senate had last week Wednesday in a resolution approved direct, indirect primaries or consensus as the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions.
The Senate’s decision was consequential to Senator Abdullahi’s motion titled “Rescission on clause 84 of the Electoral Act No. 26 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and Committal to the Committee of the Whole”.
The upper legislative chamber had, in collaboration with the House of Representatives in November last year as contained in clause 87(2), made direct primaries the only option for political parties in electing candidates for general elections.
However, the Senate, on Wednesday, and the subsequent decision of the House of Representatives, concurred to observations raised by President Buhari on why he refused to assent to the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment ) Bill 2021, by rescinding mandatory direct primaries imposed on political parties for the nomination of candidates.
Fielding questions from Sunday Sun at his National Assembly office , the Kebbi North Senator emphasised that besides the electoral act, a particular section of Nigeria’s constitution also grants the Senate powers to supervise the political process and conduct of political parties elections.
He pointed out that it is erroneous for anyone to state that the Senate doesn’t have power to legislate for political parties, describing such a notion as a misnomer.
Abdullahi clarified that Senate rescinded its decision on mandatory direct primaries imposed on political parties in consideration of the interest of Nigerians and not that of Mr. President.
The Kebbi North legislator and chieftain of the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) also gave further insights into the forthcoming APC national convention scheduled to hold on February 26, the party’s crisis and other salient national issues.
He also gave his opinion on contesting the forthcoming 2023 gubernatorial election in his home state, Kebbi. Excerpts:
As the sponsor of the motion and leader of the Senate, kindly give a clearer perspective behind the motive with regards the Senate’s decision to re-amend the Electoral Act.
The Senate took a decision yesterday that the major issue that is before us, is to get the Act out, because we have a problem with the danger of time. You know the earlier position that we took, was taken on principle and we still in principle believe that whatever the case maybe, that direct primaries is better. It is more democratic and gives members of the party a sense of belonging, and really advances democratic process. Now, the challenge that we have is that, since the president has taken a completely different view, which is legitimate, for him to also look into his own perception of what the country requires, we think it will be a disservice to the country to ignore all that very laudable sides and other 31 improvements that have been amended in Electoral Act 2021 and insist on bringing conflict into the political process, on the grounds of one position. We are sure that history will absolve us on this matter, now or in the future, our successors will come and do what we thought was right for the good people of this country. Well, some people are saying that what we thought was right , wasn’t right, that the party doesn’t have proper register and well, of course, those ones are there (valid), but we thought if we had done that, it would have prepared the parties, to behave and do the kind of things that’s in order and, there are also some people that are saying that Senate can’t legislate for political parties, that’s false.
The Senate can legislate for parties and can legislate for primaries. If the Senate can’t legislate for primaries, why is that provision inside the act in the first place?
There’s a section in the constitution that gives the Senate the power to regulate the political process, including some of the regulation of the conducts of political parties. So, for anybody to say that the Senate doesn’t have power to legislate for political parties, that means abinitio, a misnomer. The Senate has power to legislate on the conduct of good governance for the people of this country. That’s exactly what we did, but that’s notwithstanding, we sat down and looked at it in the interest of larger Nigerians so that we can cure a lot of the problems with the 2010 act. We thought it is prudent to look into the objections of the president and do the needful. So, that we can get this matter of the Electoral Act out of the way, particularly since the review of the act is one of the cardinal legislative agenda that we set for ourselves, when we came into office in 2019. Therefore, be that as it may, we have revisited the earlier position, and taken into account a lot of realities of the time, virtually restored other forms of primaries. You know, were the main content of Section 84. We have reworked Section 84 that the president will find it so palatable. All other areas that need improvement, there’s no problem with them. These are some of the major issues that will improve the conduct of our elections, and make sure that elections are both free and fair and the outcome is also credible.
So, are you quite optimistic that the president will sign it this time?
Yes, of course! The whole sections of the issues that he raised, we have addressed those issues and restored all the whole areas that he (president) was concerned about. We discussed and restored them in the new reworking, the newly reworked Section 84. We are resending to the president next week to accept.
The February 26 APC convention that is forthcoming, what are your expectations, despite the pockets of rancour within some party members in some states?
Well, our expectation is that we go as a party, elect new members of the national working committee and then strategize to win the 2023 elections. Of course, there are a lot of other issues. There have been political contests, issues of justice, congresses, ward, local government and state congresses that have been quite challenging. Those are issues that we can take in our strides and we can continue negotiating and resolving issues even while your structures are there. The National Working Committee, the new ones, once they are elected, and they come into office, are going to handle a lot of these problems. You know, the Mai Buni committee inherited a lot of these challenges. They worked on some, they are also going to hand over some of the challenges to these incoming NWC. They will also work on them, resolve some, and the higher we go, the party will get stronger.
As regards the forthcoming 2023 gubernatorial elections in your state should we be expecting you to render your years experiences in public service to your people in terms of contesting for the governorship seat?
For me, I am a very simple man. I don’t have any obsession, I have never had any obsession of being anything in life. I have lived a simple life all my life. Started out as a teacher in the university, then, served my state as at then Sokoto State as a commissioner. I was one of the first people to move as a commissioner, when Kebbi was created as a state in 1991. Immediately after our military administration, during transition to civil rule, I left, came to the federal service, and I was in the service, retired as a federal permanent secretary. I didn’t go anywhere begging to be one, it was just fate, and my capacity for hard work and God’s blessings. After I retired, I went into politics, because I thought politics is public service. If you don’t elect to work for your people and you don’t work or abandon your people and there are challenges that are facing the people and you think you have resolved your problem in your house, the problem will meet you in the house. So, it is better to confront them by coming to public service. So, I can serve in any capacity, I am already old, I am not so obsessed about being anything. I am more interested in delivering the services, and that’s what I am doing. I did my first term as a senator, this is my second term, by the grace of my colleagues, they saw I could be a leader.
(Cuts in) So, will you be willing to throw your hat in the ring if the need arises?
I know I am capable, it is not all about being capable, but I am not going to fight tooth and nail, because I believe it’s not my birthright to be anything in life. I don’t have a birthright, my birthright is to serve the people in whatever capacity I find myself. When I am so tired that I can’t serve again, I will retire back to my village and wait for the inevitable.