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From Fred Itua, Abuja
The raging battle over certain provisions in the Electoral Act may not be far from over as lawmakers elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are poised to oppose the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to amend Section 29(1) of the law.
The section “stipulates that parties must conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates at least 180 days before the general elections.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties the end of June as deadline to conduct and submit names of candidates, ahead of next year’s elections.
Daily Sun, however, learnt that that section of the law does not sit well with the new leadership of APC headed by Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
It was learnt that Adamu, in a series of meetings with the APC leadership of the National Assembly and other party faithful, had complained that the time frame for the new National Working Committee (NWC) of APC to conduct primaries under the new law was too short.
The new APC leader, who was one of the senators opposed to electronic transmission of results and the controversial Clause 84(12), has reportedly concluded plans with the APC leadership of the National Assembly to carry out a fresh amendment of the law.
A source said while some APC lawmakers are opposed to the move, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has given the nod for a fresh amendment to be brought to the senate.
It is, however, unclear, if it would come in the form of an executive bill or a private bill. It is also unclear, if the APC-led National Assembly would go ahead with the move despite mounting opposition.
It was also learnt that with plans to adjourn plenary before Easter and probably resume after the primaries in June, the amendment bill, barring any last minute change, would be read on the floor of the senate next week.
The opposition in the senate, led by the PDP and some APC lawmakers, it was gathered, have, however, vowed to resist the move.
A source said the PDP caucus in the senate had met with the NWC of the party and resolved to thwart any attempt to amend that section of the law.
Senate spokesman, Ajibola Bashir, however, told Daily Sun that he was unaware of any plan for a fresh amendment of the law.
