- By Femi Alabi
The House of Representatives has on Tuesday rejected a Bill seeking to create more hurdles for a candidate who has two opponents before being declared winner of a presidential or governorship election.
The proposed legislation is titled: ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 by changing the System of simple Majority of electing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and State Governors where there are more than two candidates to ensure the winner scores more than half of the total votes cast and for Related Matters (HB.683)’.
The bill was sponsored by Hon. Awaji Abiante from Rivers State, the Bill seeks to alter Sections 134 (1)(a), 2(a), (4)(a) and 179 (2)(a) and (3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution by changing the system of the simple majority of electing the president and the state governors where there are more than two candidates to ensure the winner scores more than half of the total votes cast.
Abiante, moved for the second reading of the bill and it was seconded by Hon. Mudashiru Lukman; voted on, but the proposed bill could not scale through the second reading after some debate on the grey arears of the proposed legislation.
The proposal sought to change the simple majority rule to a majority. In other words, when there are more than two candidates in the race, the winner must secure more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast.
The Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, in determining the stand of the proposal put up question on whether it should be considered for a second reading, the “nays” were louder than the “ayes.”
Stunned by the development, the speaker repeated the voice votes again, and the voices of those opposed to the bill were louder.
Consequently, the Speaker ruled in favour of those who wanted the motion thrown out.