Reps begin fresh process to pass Electoral Act, Peace Corps bill

The House of Representatives yesterday began a fresh process for the passage into law of the Electoral Act (amendment) bill, 2018 and the Nigeria Peace Corps bill, 2018.

President Muhammadu Buhari had withheld assent to both bills recently and the House promised to re-gazette them with 18 others.

Both bills were passed for first reading today, meaning that vetoing president’s assent on them would take a little longer than expected.

While the Peace Corps bill 2018, was sponsored by Farouk Abdullahi (KebbiAPC), the Electoral Act (amendment) bill 2018, was sponsored by Sunday Karimi (Kogi-PDP) with seven other lawmakers.

The House had said that it would re-gazette the rejected amendment to the Electoral Act, the Peace Corps bill and 18 others and re-transmit to the president for assent.

The House had also agreed with two of the reasons advanced by the president for withholding his assent to the Electoral Act amendment and promised to expunge the items before re-transmitting the new election sequence.

On the Peace Corps bill, the House did not, however, agree with the reasons advanced by the president for rejecting it.

At plenary on Wednesday, presided over by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, the two bills and 18 others were passed through first reading, preparatory to be slated for second reading. (NAN)