Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Bakare Majeed
Published on 2024-02-28 13:54:44
The House of Representatives recently considered and rejected a bill that aimed to change the voting requirements for presidential and governorship candidates in Nigeria. The bill, sponsored by Awaji-inombek Abiante from Rivers State, sought to amend the 1999 constitution by removing the simple majority rule for these candidates.
Currently, according to sections 134 and 179 of the constitution, presidential and governorship candidates must secure the highest number of votes cast and have at least one-quarter of the votes cast in each of two-thirds of the states or local government areas, depending on the position they are running for.
Mr. Abiante’s proposal aimed to change this rule to require candidates to secure more than 50% of the total votes cast to be declared winners. This would prevent scenarios where candidates win with a simple majority but not the majority of total votes cast, as was the case in the previous presidential election.
During the previous presidential election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, won with a simple majority of votes but did not secure the majority of total votes cast. The bill proposed by Mr. Abiante was aimed at addressing such instances and ensuring that candidates have the support of the majority of voters.
However, when the bill was presented in the House of Representatives, it did not receive enough support to proceed. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen called for a voice vote, and the majority of lawmakers opposed the bill, leading to its rejection. Even if the bill had passed in the House, it would have required a lengthy process, including approval by the Senate and state Houses of Assembly, to amend the constitution.
The rejection of the bill highlights the challenges of amending electoral laws and the complex process required to make significant changes to the voting requirements for political candidates. While the proposal aimed to ensure that candidates have broad support among voters, its rejection underscores the differing opinions and priorities among lawmakers.
In conclusion, the bill sponsored by Mr. Abiante to change the voting requirements for presidential and governorship candidates was rejected by the House of Representatives. The proposed change from a simple majority to a majority of total votes cast did not garner enough support among lawmakers. This outcome reflects the complexities of amending electoral laws and the need for consensus among various stakeholders in the Nigerian political landscape.
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