National Assembly carpets Malami over self-interest comment

The National Assembly, on Thursday, dismissed a threat  by the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami that he will oppose the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, if it was based on selfish interest. Chairman, Senate Committee on Media, Ajibola Basiru, specifically dismissed Malami as a political appointee, who could not speak for President Muhammadu Buhari on institutional matters like the bill.

Basiru was reacting to a recent interview granted by Malami in which the minister said the President will not assent to the reworked bill, if its provisions were considered to be of selfish interest. According to the minister, the bill, which the National Assembly transmitted to the Presidency the second time, just got to him on Monday for legal advice. Also, the chairman House Committee on Media, Benjamin Kalu, said the minister may need to define what he meant by selfish interest, noting that the parliament was guided by national interest in the consideration and passage of the bill.