Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation, said on Monday that he would advise President Muhammadu Buhari on the amended electoral in the “best interest of Nigeria.”
Mr Buhari had withheld his assent to the earlier version of the electoral bill for imposing direct primaries as the only selection of candidates for elective offices by political parties.
An amended version of the bill has since been resent to Mr Buhari for assent by the National Assembly.
Speaking on the matter during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday, Mr Malami said he could not yet make any categorical statement on the amended bill as a copy of it was only sent to him some moments before leaving for the interview.
He, however, promised to study it with a view to advising Mr Buhari on legislation that would deepen Nigeria’s democratic tenets.
“In terms of satisfaction, honestly, it is premature for me to conclude, taking into consideration that I can admit to you that the electoral bill was only received in my office this afternoon as I was preparing to come over for this engagement with Channels TV,” he said.
The minister added, “So, I have not taken steps to review the content and context of what has been presented for consideration for the President. So, it is premature and pre-emptive for me at this moment, now to arrive at any conclusion, taking into consideration that I have not gone through the document to understand what it contains and then analyse the same in accordance with the constitution and the prevailing laws.
