Ita Enang speaking on behalf of the President has released a statement saying card reader was not included in the electoral amendment bill transmitted to the President on August 3rd, 2018 by the National Assembly.
The statement comes after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the President of withholding assent to the bill that will allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt the e-voting system in the 2019 general elections.
The Special Assistant to President on National Assembly matters Senator Ita Enang in a statement titled: CARD READER NOT INCLUDED IN ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) BILL, TRANSMITTED ON AUGUST 3, 2018.
Senator Ita Enang said:
“Per the release I issued on September 3rd that Mr. President has withheld Assent to the above Bill forwarded on August 3, 2018.
there was no mention of card reader as subject of infraction nor reservation in any manner whatsoever, although there was provision for card reader in these two previous Bills which were now expunged by the National Assembly in the August 3, Bill transmitted and praying that by convention the content of Presidential communication to the National Assembly should not be fully released until read on the floor, speculation has been raised that ” card reader” provision is one of the issues that determined Mr. President’s decision.
For the avoidance of doubt, I hereby state expressly that the card reader Provision addressed by section 49 of the Principal Act was COMPLETELY, EXPRESSLY and UNEQUIVOCALLY EXCLUDED AND NOT IN ANYWISE PART OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL FORWARDED TO MR.PRESIDENT on August 3,’2018 and could therefore not form part of the consideration of Mr. President.
In the communication of Mr. President to the National Assembly on the Bill transmitted on February 20, 2018 and the 2nd one transmitted on June 27, 2018 to him for consideration there was no mention of card reader as subject of infraction nor reservation in any manner whatsoever, although there was provision for card reader in these two previous Bills which were now expunged by the National Assembly in the August 3, Bill transmitted.
For further clarity, the Bill of 20th February had 43 Clauses, and the revised Bill of 27th June had 41 clauses. The current further revised Bill of 3rd August which now excludes the card reader has just 15 clauses in the absolute wisdom of the National Assembly
Mr. President has no constitutional or legal authority to add or remove any provision to or from what the National Assembly has transmitted to him. Ita Enang said.