The National Assembly has agreed that “consensus” should be part of the mode of nominating candidates by political parties for elections as both Senate and the House of Representatives harmonised positions on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2010.
This followed a motion titled: “Rescission on Clause 84 of the Electoral Act No.6 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and Committal to the Commitiee of the Whole” moved at plenary by the Leader Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.
The Senate last week passed the Electoral Bill. However while the Senate included consensus as a mode of primary by political parties, the House of Representatives rejected it.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the position represents a harmonised version of the Electoral Bills passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Lawan added details of how the consensus option of primary would be used by political parties have been spelt out in the Bill.
He expressed hope that President Muhammadu Buhari would sign the Bill when presented to him for assent.