Essential Ndubuisi
By Ekwi Ajide
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has asked Nigerians to lobby lawmakers and not embark on what he termed ‘calculated blackmail’ against the leadership of the National Assembly over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, presently before both chambers.
In his remarks after a report on the bill was laid before the upper chamber, the Senate President, said accusing the leadership of the National Assembly of manipulating the contents of the bill is the work of mischief makers bent on blackmailing the leadership of the National Assembly.
Senator Lawan, advised Nigerians to lobby lawmakers on any aspect of the bill they feel strongly about, insisting that the National Assembly would only do what it deems right when it considers the bill.
He disclosed that the attempt by some elements to blackmail the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives resulted in the publication of his phone number and the Speaker’s on various online platforms which led to the invasion of his privacy with over nine hundred messages accusing him of manipulating the contents of the Electoral Act (Amendment) bill.
The Senate President, however, maintained that the National Assembly can only consider aspects of the amendment bill contained in the Committee’s report presented to the upper chamber for consideration adding that some of those accusing the leadership of the National Assembly are innocently misinformed, while some others are simply mischievous describing them as rabble rousers.
The report on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was laid by the Chairman of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Kabiru Gaya.
