Electoral Bill: We Are Not On The Same Level With Malami – Senate

The Nigerian Senate has knocked the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), over his comment on the revised Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Malami had in an interview on Channels Television said that he would oppose the revised Electoral Bill if its provisions were based on selfish interest.

The minister added that President Muhammadu Buhari would not assent to the document if it was considered to contain the selfish interest of members of the National Assembly.

Malami, however, disclosed during the interview that the electoral bill just arrived on his desk on Monday for legal advice.

Reacting in an interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, Senate Spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed comments made by Malami, saying that the minister could not speak for the President on institutional matters like the electoral bill.

Basiru said the Senate will not respond to the minister’s comments, saying that the Red Chamber will only reply to the President, who is the head of the Executive.

The minister said the National Assembly is not on the same level as the minister, adding that the legislature is an arm of the government.

He said: “I cannot be responding to Malami. Let the President talk and we will respond (to Buhari). I represent an institution, which is the National Assembly. We are not on the same par. If the President speaks, then we can respond as an institution.

“There are three arms of government: the executive headed by the President; the National Assembly (legislature), and the judiciary. I speak on behalf of the Senate, which is an institution, so I can’t be responding to an appointee of the President; I can’t be responding to Malami.

“We can only respond to correspondence from the President and authenticated by him (Buhari); we cannot be responding to an appointee of the President. We are an institution.”