Reps reintroduces bill on independent candidacy

A bill seeking to amend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to allow for independent candidacy has been re-introduced at the House of Representatives.

The bill which is sponsored by the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep Akin Rotimi (Ekiti, APC), was passed for first reading yesterday.

Daily Trust reports that a similar bill was passed and voted by the 9th National Assembly and transmitted to former President Muhammadu Buhari, but the president didn’t assent to it.

The bill aimed to amend sections 7, 65 106, and 221, among others, while also seeking to establish a desk in INEC to coordinate independent candidacy within the commission.

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A copy of the bill showed that, “An independent candidate is expected to get the endorsement of at least 10 percent of registered voters spread across at least two-thirds of the constituency, senatorial, district, state, or the federation depending on the position an individual is contesting.

“The signatures of such voters are expected to be verified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or the State Independent Electoral Commission in the case of local government elections, while no voter is allowed to write the name of another person.”

Sponsor of the bill, Rep Rotimi, while speaking to journalists on the proposed legislation, said the bill seeks to open up the political space and gives room for more qualified people to stand for elections.