Electoral Act Amendment : Speaker debunks alteration of report

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila had debunked rumors making the rounds that the leadership of the National Assembly altered the report on the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill 2020, still awaiting consideration by the Legislature.

The Speaker refuted the claims on Tuesday saying it was only mere speculation

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila cleared the air that no one tempered with the authentic report on the bill, adding that the House would pass it in the next few days.

His comment is coming days after he media was awash with reports that the leadership had altered the provision on electronic voting, where it allegedly reversed the committee recommendation that election results should be transmitted electronically

Representative Ugonna Uzorigbe has raised a matter of privilege on the floor with the speaker noting that it was mere speculation and urged Nigerians to discountenance it.

Gbajabiamila expressed surprise that anyone would accuse the leadership of altering the report of a bill still in the custody of the Committee on Electoral Matters.

He stated, “I really don’t want to speak on a report that has yet to be presented to the floor….Ordinarily, I will not comment on a matter that is not before us yet.

“I don’t believe there is any alteration to the committee’s report.

“Only the authentic report of the committee will be submitted for consideration. So, all that is being said remains in the realm of speculation.

“I have asked the chairman of the committee and she told me that there has been nothing like that (alteration).”

Recall that both the Senate and the House had announced last week that the bill would be passed before July 14.

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