President Umaru Yar'Adua has withdrawn the electoral reform proposals billed to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)...

President Umaru Yar'Adua has withdrawn the electoral reform proposals billed to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent to the National Assembly after the Senators condemned it for its poor packaging.

The bill was rejected by Senators who chided the Attorney General of the Federation for his failure to give sound legal advice to the President on the futility of amending the INEC law without an amending the constitution. The Senators observation were summarized by the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu who presided at yesterday's session as he expressed amazement on how the bill could have successfully passed through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The bill was introduced on the floor of the Senate by the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin who said the bill is aimed to strengthen INEC by providing for the appointment of a deputy chairman for the commission, for the renewal of the tenure of INEC commissioners and a provision for INEC to be stripped of its powers of registration and regulation of political parties.

Another Senator, Senator Thomson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) upon a constitutional point of order vide section 9, 14 (1)(3)sought for the bill to be thrown out on the fact that it was a violation of the constitution since INEC was established by the constitution and could only be amended by an alteration of the constitution.

His point was supported by several Senators, among those who contributed to the debate yesterday were Senators Dahiru Umar (PDP, Sokoto), Kabiru Gaya (ANPP, Kano, South), Anthony Manzo (PDP, Taraba North), Kanti Bello (PDP, Katsina North), Isiaka Adeleke (PDP, Osun), Idris Umar (PDP, Gombe), Sola Akinyede (PDP, Ekiti North), Kabiru Jubril, (PDP, Kaduna Central), Omar Hambagda (ANPP, Borno South) and Anyim Ude (PDP, Ebonyi).

Some Senators canvassed for the bill to be thrown out or in some cases for the bill to be sent to the Constitution review committee; Senator Kanti Bello called for caution, saying that the genuine intentions of the bill should not be thrown away.

The Federal Ministry of Justice, was however, described as incompetent by Senator Dahiru Umar, chairman of the Senate committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters.