Ita Enang Says Electoral Bill receiving Buhari’s attention

Presidential aide, Ita Enang,

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, has assured that the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill is receiving due presidential attention.

Mr Enang made this known in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the bill, which was passed for the fourth time on October 23 by the Senate and transmitted for assent on November 8, was being looked into.

According to him, in view of the 30 days window from day of transmission within which the president can consider or withhold assent, there is no cause for concern.

“It was transmitted on November 8. So it is receiving due attention of Mr President within the law because the Constitution gives the President 30 days within which to examine it and say yes or no.”

He said the belief that a large number of bills were not considered by the president was not true.

Mr Enang said contrary to that, the president had considered the highest number of bills since 1999.

According to him, since assumption of office in 2015, the president had considered over 100 bills.

This is the fourth attempt the lawmakers are making to have the bill assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Buhari had on September 3 declined assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018, transmitted to him by the National Assembly on Aug. 3 for the third time.

Mr Enang had in August clarified that the bill, which was forwarded to the President on August 3, was alive and awaiting assent.

He gave the clarification against the backdrop of report published by a national daily that Mr Buhari had again vetoed the bill forwarded to him for assent.

Mr Enang had said the vetoed bill was the one sent to the president on June 27 and not the one passed by both chambers of the National Assembly on July 24, the day it embarked on annual recess.

(NAN)