BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 08, (THEWILL) –Â The House of Representatives Tuesday passed for second reading the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2014.
The Bill is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to further amend the Electoral Act, No. 6, 2010 to ensure a level playing ground for all participants in the electoral process and for transparent process of conducting elections in Nigeria and for other matters connected therewith’.
The Bill was sponsored by Hon. Daniel Reyenieju (PDP, Delta).
Debate on the Bill started last week but was inconclusive and had to be moved to Tuesday to enable more congressmen and women make contributions.
However, when debate resume today, the Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie expressed concern that the amendment sought in the area of deploying armed forces during elections could jeopardize the process as the presence of heavily-armed soldiers sometimes frightens the electorate.
He was opposed by the Deputy Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor who argued that the amendment was in order. But minority leader Femi Gbajabiamila cut in citing a constitutional point of order.
Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over the session, had a tough time trying to make Gbajabiamila allow Ogor finish his presentation.
In order to have his way, Ogor said he was arguing under a point of order and not contributing to the debate.
Ogor in his point of order noted that the President could deploy the armed forces under Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act, but Gbajabiamila argued that the House has the constitutional powers to determine how the President implements that provision.
At this point, chairman committee on rules and business, Hon. Albert Tanimu Sam-Tsokwa was invited by the Deputy Speaker to throw more light on the issue.
Sam-Tsokwa in his intervention called the attention of the House to the fact that debate on any Bill could be heated and could also go either way but opined that both congressmen were engaged in a healthy debate.
At the end of the bickering, when the Deputy Speaker put to test the question, the Bill was passed and referred to the committee on electoral matters for further legislative action.
SAINT MUGAGA, ABUJA
