Bill To Change Simple Majority In Presidential, Guber Elections Fails

The House of Representatives yesterday rejected a Bill seeking to create additional conditions for a candidate who has two opponents before being declared winner of a presidential or governorship election.

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.

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 sponsor, Abiante, moved for the second reading of the bill and it was seconded by Hon. Mudashiru Lukman; voted on, but not approved for second reading after some debate against the proposed legislation.

Mr Abiante’s 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.

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However, the lawmakers did not allow Mr Abiante to lead the debate on the bill. When Speaker Abbas Tajudeen put the question for the bill to be considered for a second reading, the “nays” were louder than the “ayes.”

Shocked by the development, the speaker repeated the voice votes again, and the voices of those opposed to the bill were louder.

Consequently, Mr Tajudeen ruled in favour of those who wanted the motion thrown out.