Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that the National Assembly’s insistence on Direct Primaries is an undemocratic act. ayokinews.com reports
Recall that the National Assembly in November sent to Electoral Act Amendment Bill to President Buhari for his signature.
The law contains mandatory direct primaries for political parties and electronic transmission of election results as part of the modifications proposed by the national legislature.
Buhari, on the other hand, has spoken out against the bill, stating that it would expose the electoral system to legal action and that adopting direct primary elections “violates the spirit of democracy.”
Electoral Bill: Buhari will know Nigeria isn’t a ‘banana republic’ – Dino Melaye
President Buhari remarked on Wednesday in an interview with Channels Television that Nigerians should be given options and allowed to pick what they want.
“No. I am not going to support it. Personally, I don’t support direct primaries because I want people to be given a choice. You can’t give them one option and think you are giving them democracy. Let’s have the three options — direct, indirect, and consensus,” Buhari said.
When asked if he would sign the electoral bill should the clause he doesn’t agree with be removed by the National Assembly, he said: “I don’t think I told them what I don’t like. What I said was there should be options. We must not insist that it has to be direct. Yes, I will sign the bill. You can’t dictate to people and say you are doing democracy.”
Check Also: https://www.newsmax.com/platinum/2022-politics-predictions/2022/01/03/id/1050762/
