Malami Says Buhari Won’t Sign Electoral Bill If Amended For Selfish Interest

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has hinted that President, Muhammadu Buhari may not sign the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill if it is considered to have proposals based on personal interests.

According to the minister, the bill, which the National Assembly transmitted to the Presidency the second time on Monday last week, just got to him on Monday for legal advice.

Malami made this known while appearing on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television which our correspondents monitored on Monday.

Buhari had withheld assent to the first version of the bill last year after consulting Malami and the Independent National Electoral Commission, among others, on the bill.

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Responding to a question on if he was willing to assist Buhari to pass what the President said he wanted to leave behind as a legacy of good elections for Nigeria; and if the bill might get passed by Buhari, the minister said, “Honestly, without going through or reading through, I am not in a position to assess whether the bill, indeed, has factored the national and public interest, as against selfish interest, among others; whether it is a bill that can stand the test of constitutionality and legality.”

When asked if he would advise the President to reject the amended bill if he was not satisfied with the new version, Malami said, “Certainly, if I am not satisfied and if I am of the opinion that it is against the public interest, the national interest; and then against the dictates of democratic process, I would advise accordingly.”

But quickly added:
“But then, one thing I can tell you is that we are all interested in leaving behind a legacy of a lasting democracy; a democracy that indeed accommodates the collective interest of the Nigerian state, and eventually advances the national interest, national development and deepens the democratic process.

“So, with these considerations associated with deepening democracy; with the considerations associated with the national and public interest, we will certainly do whatever it takes to move democracy to the next level.”