After Hon Abubakar Hassan Fulata sponsored a bill titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No 13, 2022; and for Related Matters,” (HB. 1984), Lawmakers decided to amend the legislation on Wednesday.

Recall that the bill, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed in February 2022, barred statutory delegates from participating in party primaries.

Statutory delegates include the President, Vice President, Governors and their deputies, Federal and State lawmakers, Local Government Chairmen and their vice, Councillors, political party chairmen in all the 774 LGAs, political parties’ National Working Committee members, state Party Chairmen, and Secretaries.

The amendment of the electoral act would allow statutory delegates, in addition to the delegates elected by various political parties, to vote during congresses and conventions to elect candidates for various political offices.

The amendment comes a day after the same Electoral Act 2022 was revised by the 9th Senate, chaired by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

The Senate President said after the bill was passed that the “unintended clause” had to be modified before party primaries could begin.

According to Lawan, the bill will be signed by the House of Representatives, chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, before being delivered to President Muhammadu Buhari for his signature.

The electoral act was revised, according to Lawan, to ensure that no one’s rights are violated during political party activity.