Lawmaker Wants National Assembly to Shelve Annual Recess to Fast-track Electoral, Constitutional Reforms

Lawmaker Wants National Assembly to Shelve Annual Recess to Fast-track Electoral, Constitutional Reforms

By Adedayo Akinwale

A lawmaker representing Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Muda Umar, has called on the National Assembly to suspend its 2020 annual recess in order to fast track constitutional reforms as well as Electoral Act amendment bill ahead of 2023 general election.

The lawmaker in a statement issued Monday said that the suspension of the annual recess would give both the House and Senate enough time to debate several items slated for amendments in the 1999 Constitution as well as to revisit the passage of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill.

Muda stated: “If the National Assembly proceeds and thereafter returns from its proposed annual vacation in September, the distinguished Senators and members of the House of Representatives may not have the requisite time to debate and pass the Constitutional reforms as well as the Electoral (Amendment) Bill before the 2023 general election and that passing the Electoral (amendment) Bill now would go a long way in curbing the types of anomalies that preceded the 2019 general election.

“The electoral reform is crucial at this moment as it would not only strengthen the integrity and legitimacy of our electoral process thereby preventing electoral violence but would also guide and protect the sanctity of Nigeria’s Democracy,” he added.

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