Updated: Buhari will sign electoral bill in hours, says Adesina

President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the revised electoral act amendment bill in a matter of hours, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said.

He said this on Tuesday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme.

“It could be signed today; it could be signed tomorrow. In a matter of hours, not days. Hours could be 24 hours, it could be 48 hours; not days, not weeks,” he said.

He said the bill was sent to the President about one month after the National Assembly passed it.

Adesina criticised those accusing Buhari of delaying the signing of the bill, saying the President’s action was still within the requirements of the constitution.

He said it will only be appropriate to say the President acted against the law if he exceeds the 30-day window provided by the law.

He said, “You know before the President will put pen to paper on any legislation, particularly this one that has to do with our electoral fortunes, it has to be looked at and looked at.

“He has to buy opinions from different stakeholders and having been satisfied that the necessary due diligence had been done and he will not be making any error, then he will sign it, and I tell you that Nigerians will get to hear about this bill in hours.”

Earlier on Monday, Adesina had in a statement said those playing cheap politics with the bill should hold their peace.

According to him, some interest groups were cashing in on what they consider a delay in the signing of the Electoral Bill into law by the President to foment civil disorder and muddy the waters.

He said one can just pity their ignorance of constitutional requirements, as the President has a window of 30 days within which to sign the Bill, or decline assent, after it had been transmitted to him by the National Assembly.

“It is on record that the amended Bill was sent to the Presidency on January 31, 2022, which means that the Executive could do due diligence on it till March 1, as prescribed by the Constitution.

“A proposed legislation that has to do with the electoral fortunes of the country needs to be thoroughly scrutinised, and be made as near-perfect as possible.

“Those playing cheap politics with it are, therefore, encouraged to hold their peace, knowing that the right thing will be done within the lawful time,” Adesina stated.