Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has asked Nigerians to desist from pressurising President Muhammadu Buhari into signing the amended electoral bill into law.
Mr Uzodinma who spoke against the increasing call for the quick passage of the amended bill asked Nigerians to allow the president do his job, adding that the president has the constitutional dictate to study the bill.
“I don’t understand the anxiety and the propaganda of trying to force the president or blackmail the president signing the electoral act without following the constitutional dictates by ensuring that he studies the electoral act,” Mr Uzodinma said.
“He has the mandate of all of us; over 200 million Nigerians to study the act and if there are things in his opinion that he considers not to the best interest of the people, he has to address it,” he added.
“All these social clubs and anxiety here and there, it is not the best thing I think we should allow the president to do his job.”
His comment comes shortly after presidency sources confirmed that the president would be signing the bill into law around 12:00 p.m. on Friday.
The National Assembly transmitted the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 to the president on January 31, a second time, having reportedly revised the bill, which he withheld his assent to for some noted reasons.
The president had withheld his assent to the bill in November 2021, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections and security challenges as part of the reasons for his decision.
However, 23 days have elapsed of the 30 days stipulated by the constitution for the president to sign the amended bill.
