The Electoral Act Amendment Bill has been passed by the Senate expunging the controversial
clause to make lawmakers members of the National Executive Committee of their parties. The House of Representatives on its part, has put the bill in abeyance after adopting it without reading it the third time.
The certainty is that the lawmakers have finally let go their pursuit of amending the Electoral Act to fight their political battles in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Again, the phenomenal control of the political space by state governors in the different political parties is well known. For instance, the amount of the power they wield in the present political equation showed in the way they negotiated at the NEC meeting of the PDP on Tuesday. They have constituted themselves into an octopus called the Nigerian Governors‘ Forum, which analysts allege promotes their selfish agenda over the will and aspiration of the people.
Indeed, commentators argue that state governors, today determine the fate of those who will emerge as their parties‘ candidates at different levels. They also ensure that only those who are loyal and submissive to them are given a place within the political space. They are regarded as tin gods who will get what they want by bullying the parties‘ leadership to succumb to their wishes. For now, it appears that no one can stop them without the use of the instrumentality of the National Assembly.
This, perhaps, underlines the wisdom behind the decision of members of the National Assembly to amend the act, at least, to whittle down the power and influence of the governors. With lawmakers coming on board the NEC of political parties, particularly the PDP, the governors would have to contend with a power bloc formed by members of the National Assembly and would need their support to push through any item on their agenda.
It is even alleged that the PDP Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, actually masterminded the idea of amending the act and inserting clause 87(11) intending to overwhelm the governors within the party‘s NEC. Although this claim has not been verified, Nwodo, at the public hearing on the bill, actually canvassed an increase in the number of legislators on the NEC. He said it would be enough to have a sizeable number of lawmakers not exceeding the number of elected officers of the party.
The status quo is that while members of the National Assembly naturally become members of the NEC of some or most of the parties, in the PDP, the National Assembly members have 48 slots, which is considered not strong enough to deal with the threats of the governors.
Once the National Assembly members set out to execute this grand design against the governors, the majority of Nigerians smelt a rat. Politicians, the citizenry posit, don‘t necessarily do anything for the people if their interests have not been well captured. Besides, public commentators hold the view that the effort would amount to having lawmakers make laws for themselves and not for the people.
Despite these divergent opinions and kicks on the debate, there was no sign that the National Assembly members would retreat. Inasmuch as they are concerned, the bill was in the interest of democracy.
The Senate spokesman, Ayogu Eze, argued that the amendment was not targeted at any one, but to ensure that the tyrannical tendencies within the parties were checked.
The Senate and the House of Representatives remained on the same page while they prosecute the campaign to take over the parties. The public hearing on the bill was jointly organised by both chambers as a way of mustering the synergy to carry the task through.
At the hearing, the people spoke in unison, condemning the attempt to alter Section 87 of the Electoral Act and get lawmakers into the NEC of parties. There was no doubt that it was a PDP affair, as other parties who converged on the venue, advised the lawmakers to drop the idea as it would be an overregulation of the parties.
Whereas the ACN has in its NEC all members of the National Assembly, it reasoned that the use of a federal law to regulate the activity of a party, thereby bringing all the parties under the rule, was an unacceptable abuse of the privilege of being a federal legislator.
It advocated the liberty of parties to regulate their activities without interference. It also urged its members to strongly oppose the bill.
In the same vein, a group of political parties brought its submissions to public domain, chiding the legislators of putting their interest ahead of the people.
Leading the political parties under the aegis of Forum of National Chairmen of Political Parties, Mr. Maxi Okwu, who is also the National Chairman of Citizens Party, said the attempt by the National Assembly to make the parties uniform in structure was an echo from Nigeria‘s military past.
Women non-governmental organisations were not left out of the agitation. In their thinking too, the lawmakers were selfish. Representing the Gender for Affirmative Action, Omowumi Asubiaro, argued that of the 469 members of the National Assembly, only 33 are women, noting that making lawmakers part of the NEC would put women at a great disadvantage.
She called on the committee to amend the act to make it possible for women to get an appreciable elective positions.
Another crusader, Bisi Olagbeki, of the Women Consortium of Nigeria said, “It is our belief that if this amendment is allowed to sail through, it will negate the rights of women.”
But in the face of this opposition from a majority of the citizens, some lawmakers have continued to remain adamant in their request. As a matter of fact, Senators Ibrahim Ida and Umar Dahiru were on guard on behalf of the Senate, while the two sponsors of the bill at the lower house, Cyril Maduabum and Igo Aguma, fired from the House of Representatives.
Their defence went thus: “The Constitution empowers the National Assembly to do what we are doing and make laws for political parties. We are trying to help political parties to be more democratic.”
Just when the bill seemed to have been defeated, they have decided to revive it, insisting that the bill will be passed.
But last Tuesday morning, some Nigerians thronged the National Assembly to protest the passage of the bill. Earlier, state governors had threatened the PDP leadership over the possibility of getting the controversial clause sail through the red chambers.
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