The Senate Tuesday amended the Electoral Act 2022, to allow ‘statutory delegates’ to participate and vote in political parties’ conventions, congresses and meetings.

The expeditious consideration of the bill  followed the suspension of relevant Senate Rules to pave the way for the First, Second and Third Reading of the bill same day at the  Committee of the Whole.

The bill  sponsored by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege is titled, "A bill for an Act to Amend the 2022 Electoral Act No. 13 and for other Related Matters, 2022 (SB 1002),"

Presenting the bill, Omo-Agege said that it sought to amend the provision of Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act.

He argued that  the provisions of the section does not provide for the participation of what is generally known as ‘statutory delegates’ in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties.

“The extant section only clearly provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates of political parties.

“This is an unintended error, and we can only correct it with this amendment now before us,” he said.

'Statutory delegates' include the President, Vice President, State and National Assembly members, Governors and their deputies, Chairmen of LG Councils, Councilors, National Working Committee of political parties, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of political parties amongst others.

In his Lead Debate,  Omo-Agege maintained that the amendment became necessary to correct an 'unintended error' in the Electoral Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari this year.

This, he noted, would ensure the participation of both statutory and elected delegates in the conventions, congresses of political parties.

Seconding the motion, Senator Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central) said the amendment would ensure that statutory delegates were not disenfranchised in the primaries of political parties to elect candidates for the 2023 General Election.

After the First and Second Reading of the Bill, Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North), moved for the suspension of Rule 80 (1) of the Senate State Order to allow for the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by Committee of the Whole.

Speaking after the approval, Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan who presided over the session, explained that the move was an 'emergency effort to ensure' that statutory delegates were not disenfranchised in the forthcoming primaries of political parties.

He said after the processes are concluded in both chambers of the National Assembly, the bill would be transmitted to the Executive for assent within the week.