2019: As The Plot To Remove Buhari Thickens, Reps Change Order Of Elections

LAGOS JANUARY 24TH (NEWSRANGERS)-– As the plot by the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari is defeated in the 2019 general elections thickens, the House of Representatives has amended the Electoral Act to change the order of elections as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Buhari is yet to formally announce his reelection bid but has tacitly given approval to his associates to begin his campaign.
THEWILL recalls that INEC had announced the schedule of elections a few weeks ago with the Presidential election and National Assembly elections coming first on February 16th, 2019, while the governorship and state assembly polls was set for March 2, 2019.
The House which is working closely with the Senate on this plan, have amended the Electoral Act to allow the National Assembly election hold first, followed by gubernatorial and state assembly polls and then the presidential election.
THEWILL can report that the leadership and members of the National Assembly have had it with the president, because he has refused to fund their constituency projects coupled with his disrespect for the National Assembly.
The amendment was made at the Committee of the whole House on Tuesday, presided by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun, the News Agency of Nigeria confirmed.
The Senate will approve this amendment, THEWILL can authoritatively report.
The lawmakers amended the Act while considering the report of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, which proposed amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
The House amended section 25 of the Principal Act and substituted it with a new section 25 (1).
According to the section, the elections shall be held in the following order: (a) National Assembly election (b) State Houses of Assembly and
Governorship elections (c) Presidential election.
Similarly, section 87 was amended by adding a new section 87 (11) with a marginal note “time for primaries of political parties”.
“The primaries of political parties shall follow the following sequence (i) State House of Assembly (ii) National Assembly (iii) Governorship, and (iv), President.
“The dates for the above stated primaries shall not be held earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days before the date of elections to the offices.”
The House also amended section 36 to allow running mate of candidate that dies before the conclusion of elections inherit his votes and continue with the process.
Section 35 which states that if before an election a candidate dies, he will be replaced by the next contestant with the highest vote was also amended.
The amendment indicated that if a nominated candidate died in the election process, the next person from the same political party with the second highest votes in the primary election should replace the deceased.
It stated that the name of the new person should be submitted to INEC, which should accept such replacement as if the deceased was alive.
The House also made an increment in the limitation of election expenses to be incurred by candidates for presidential candidates from N1 billion to N5 billion.
It raised the governorship bill from N200 million to N1 billion, while Senatorial and Representatives candidates’ expenses are not to exceed N100 million and N70 million, respectively.
For State Assembly and local government chairmanship elections, candidates’ expenses had been raised from N10 million to N30 million while councillorship candidates ceiling was raised from N1 million to N5 million.
Similarly, individual contribution had been jerked up from N1 million to N10 million.

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