Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have jointly reacted to withholding of assent by President Muhammadu Buhari on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Recall that Buhari on Tuesday turned down the amended Electoral Act bill in letters addressed to Saraki and Dogara.
Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, Special Advisers (Media) to Senate President and Speaker, in a statement on Saturday stated that the two leaders and chambers were not on collision course over the matter.
“The Senate President and the Speaker, as heads of the two chambers of the National Assembly and representing the views of their colleagues, will want everybody to know that they are on the same page on what is the appropriate reaction to the President’s withholding of assent on the Electoral Act amendment bill.
“There is no disagreement between the two chambers as well as their presiding officers. The leadership of the two chambers constantly hold discussions and are in agreement on what to do, how to do it, when to do it and why it must be done.
“The issue at stake is not personal. It is about deepening democracy. It is about improving our democracy and the National Assembly is on firm constitutional and legal grounds to amend the law as well as take decisions in the manner they have been responding.
“We see that story and the insinuations contained in it as mere distraction and unnecessary misrepresentation aimed at creating division in the Federal Legislature. The Senate President, Speaker and their colleagues urge members of the public to discountenance the report”, the statement read.