Buhari jets off as bill lies on shelve and fuel scarcity gets worse
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
All 16 Governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked Muhammadu Buhari to sign the re-amended Electoral Bill into law now rather than wait till near the expiry date before ginning up new excuses.
Buhari has failed seven times to assent to the Electoral Bill 2010 Amendment since he became President in 2015, according to a count by electoral reform campaigners Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSR) and ActioAids.
And for him to filibuster the latest version again “is like toying with the lives of Nigerians. We have elections coming and you [Buhari] are tying our hands,” NCSR Convener ActionAids Nigeria Country Director Ene Obi said on Channels Television on 2 February.
Buhari remains mum on the pressing matter of the Electoral Bill. Fuel scarcity is also getting worse, and he is the Petroleum Minister, a job he apportioned to himself and has done since he assumed office.
But rather than intervene to solve problems, he adopted his usual tactics on Tuesday and found another excuse to gallivant abroad, this time to Belgium, two weeks after returning from Ethiopia.
The National Assembly (NASS) transmitted the re-amended bill to him on 31 January after he vetoed the earlier version and, by law, he has 30 days to assent to it or veto it again and give his reasons.
“Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed electoral framework,” the PDP Governors’ Forum said in a communique after their meeting in Yenagoa on Monday.
They also spoke on importation of contaminated fuel, the governorship ballot this year in Ekiti and Osun, and allocation from the Federation Account, among other issues.
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The communique said:
1. Electoral Bill
The PDP Governors urged Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.
“Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework.”
If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.
2. Abuja Area Council election
The Governors congratulated PDP for winning 43 out of 62 councillorship positions in the Abuja Area Council election results, just concluded.
In spite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible.
INEC should tighten all observed loopholes and further improve on the functioning of the BIVAS Machine for future elections.
3. Contaminated fuel
PDP Governors expressed their displeasure on contaminated fuel supplied to Nigerians and urged government to bring perpetrators to account.
4. Fuel subsidy
They frowned at “the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC [All Progressives Congress] led federal government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered.
The figures of consumption and ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. The Governors called for proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.
5. Revenue allocation formula
The Forum welcomed the court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State and urged the federal government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account.
In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission [RMAFC] should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to States and local government.
6. CBN, an alternate government
The Forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN [Central Bank of Nigeria]is being run as an “alternate government, indeed, a government within a government.
“It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant.”
7. NNPC operations
PDP Governors once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Company] operations.
They called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the Federation Account.
8. Devolution of power
As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of the Constitution Review exercise, the Forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the states and local governments.
“This opportunity to rejig the framework for policing and securing Nigeria should not be missed. To this end, the Forum would set up a Panel of Consultants to have a thorough look at the security architecture of Nigeria and make recommendations.”
The Governors also urged the [NASS] to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent List.
9. Diri, a good host
The PDP Governors congratulated Governor Douye Diri on his second anniversary in office as he has made a positive difference for the people of Bayelsa State.
They thanked him for being such a gracious and wonderful host.
Meeting attendees
PDP Governors’ Forum members who attended the meeting are
- Okezie Ikpeazu – Abia State (Vice Chairman)
- Ahmadu Fintiri – Adamawa
- Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom
- Bala Mohammed – Bauchi
- Douye Diri – Bayelsa
- Samuel Ortom – Benue
- Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta
- Godwin Obaseki – Edo
- Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu
- Oluseyi Makinde – Oyo
- Nyesom Wike – Rivers