ABUJA – President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has kicked against what he described as the ‘calculated blackmail’ against the leadership of the National Assembly over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, presently before both chambers.
Lawan in his remarks after a report on the bill was laid before the upper chamber on Wednesday, attributed the falsehood peddled in accusations fingering the leadership of the National Assembly of manipulating the contents of the bill as the work of mischief makers bent on blackmailing the leadership of the National Assembly.
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.
The Senate President, therefore, advised Nigerians to lobby lawmakers on any aspect of the bill they feel strongly about, insisting that the National Assembly would do only what is right when it eventually 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.
Lawan said,there are various accusations, insinuations that the leadership of the Senate, sometimes the leadership of the National Assembly have tampered with the report of the committee on INEC of both chambers.
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.
