Senate Suppresses Bill Trying To Allow Parties Replace NASS Members

By Odiawa Ai

The Senate has suppressed a Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act 2022 trying to permit political parties nominate and replace truly elected candidates in the event of resignation, demise or vacancy (of seats) of serving members in National Assembly (NASS) and State Assemblies and for associated matters.

Senator Karimi Sunday representing Kogi West Senatorial District, the sponsor of the bill, made sense of the fact that the bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to permit the political party that won an election assign and replace candidates into National Assembly and State Houses of Assemblies whenever vacancy occurs due to death or abdication of the candidate during the pendency of his tenure in office.

He said the bill will essentially eliminate misuse of public resources on conducting a fresh election in the federal and state constituencies.

The lawmaker, in any case, failed to convince a crucial number of his colleagues in his argument of the legitimacy of this move.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thereafter offered him an opportunity to withdraw the bill or amend it, which he declined.

The bill was subsequently suppressed in a voice vote.