The President enumerated a series of disadvantages of the system which he said include the manipulation by incumbent officeholders
President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the House of Representatives to explain reasons he declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which relates to the provision for direct party primaries.
The letter was read on Tuesday on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The President enumerated a series of disadvantages of the system which he said include the manipulation by incumbent officeholders who seek reelections, as well as political parties’ inability to muster the funds to finance it.
The 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill was earlier declined assent to be signed into a law because it was perceived to cause trouble among the political parties in the country.
President Buhari cited the direct primaries as approved by the National Assembly for picking candidates by political parties in the amended Electoral Act as dangerous to the polity.
The President was said to have refused to assent to it against the backdrop that the parties have their various constitutions that indicate that primaries should be conducted either directly or indirectly.