Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina has revealed that the the president, Muhammadu Buhari would sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill anytime soon, IgbereTV reports.
He stated that this could happen in a matter of hours.
Nigerians have waited a long time for the President to append his signature to the reworked Bill as the country draws near to the next set of elections in 2023.
Adesina while speaking as a guest on Channels Television Morning Show on Tuesday states that “he (Buhari) will sign it (the bill) any moment now”.
He however was not specific on when this would happen, as he further said, “it could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be anytime. But within the 30 days”.
When probed further, he said “it could be in hours, it could be 30, it could be 45”.
The bill was retransmitted to the President on January 25, after the national assembly had reworked it to reflect his recommendations, but the president is still yet to sign as at the time of this report.
The President’s tarrying on assenting the bill has generated outrage from different quarters. Ripples Nigeria reported that a coalition of Civil Society Organisations threatened a nation-wide protest if the President does not sign the bill by February 22.
Defending his principal, Adesina dismissed the criticisms against the president for delaying the assent to the bill, saying the President had not acted against the constitution yet.
“You know before the President will put pen to paper on any legislation, particularly this one that has to do with our electoral fortunes, it has to be looked at and looked at.
“He has to buy opinions from different stakeholders and having been satisfied that the necessary due diligence had been done and he will not be making any error, then he will sign it, and I tell you that Nigerians will get to hear about this bill in hours,” Adesina said.
