Reps to debate Buhari’s letter tomorrow

A showdown is imminent between the House of Representatives and President Muhammadu Buhari over his rejection of the Electoral Act amendment bill as the House begins debate of the President’s letter notifying it of his veto of the bill.

House Speaker ,Yakubu Dogara had hardly finished reading Buhari’s communication informing the House of his decision not to assent to the amendment bill when Rep. Aliyu Madaki from Kano state reacted angrily to the letter.

According to Hon. Madaki, the rejection was one too many, declaring that what Nigerians wanted was free, fair and credible
elections in 2019.

The House member stated that Buhari’s rejection of the bill shows that the President and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had ulterior motives in declining assent to the bill.

He said that the world was watching the present government and their actions.

“The letter is so serious that it can’t just be ignored. We want free ,fair and credible elections. The President’s refusal to assent to
the bill shows clearly what his intention and that of his party are about the upcoming 2019 elections.

“We are watching. The whole world is watching. Everybody is watching,” he added.

Ho. Madaki was , however, interrupted by House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, who raised a point of order countering the submission made by the Kano lawmaker, even as other House members countered, shouting “order what?”

When the speaker eventually recognized Gbajabiamila to speak, he said that he was relying on “personal explanations” to drive home his point.

The House leader said that it was uncustomary for a member of the House to spur on a debate on a communication from the President, insising that due process be followed if Buhari’s letter must be debated.

He said that “I have been in this House for 16 years and there has never been a situation where a letter is debated. It is simply a
communication. We have never debated a letter.

“If there is need to debate the President’s letter, we must table it on the order paper. Several letters have been written by past presidents and none had been debated.”

Consequently, Speaker Dogara ruled that the House rules must be followed if the House needed to debate the letter.

“I think this matter should be laid to rest. I advise we follow the
provisions of the rules”, he simply said, leaving members chorusing
“let’s debate it tomorrow (Wednesday)”.

 President Buhari had last week, declined assent to the amendment bill, citing timing as his major
reason.

According to the President, the bill should be rescheduled for assent
after the 2019 general elections in February 2019.