PDP caucus in the National Assembly has asked President Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act amendment bill.
By Anthony Musa, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the National Assembly has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act amendment bill passed into law by the National Assembly recently.
The PDP caucus said it had to bend to allow the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) have its way while considering the Electoral Act amendment bill in the overall interest of democracy in the country.
The reworked bill has been sent to the president for his assent after initially rejecting it and requesting that the parties be allowed to choose what mode to use for their primaries.
There are however insinuations that governors are opposed to the President signing the bill into law as a result of the stringent conditions attached to the issue of consensus option.
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Speaking on behalf of the caucus when the Board of Trustees of the party visited them at the National Assembly, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Gideon Elumelu said the nation was tired of the antics of the APC, insisting that the Electoral Act amendment bill be signed I to law to give Nigerians true democracy.
He said “They said they want direct primaries and we said if it would give Nigerians a very sound electoral reform, we accept. They are the ones rejecting. They came back again and said they wanted indirect and we agreed. They came again and said they wanted consensus. We have given them consensus.
“Again I am hearing that amongst them, those APC governors are still plotting for the President not to sign. Nigerians are tired of APC.
“We ask APC to sign the Electoral Act. SIgn it. Nigerians want it. No more delay”
The House Minority Leader accused the APC of trying to mortgage the future of Nigeria to China through numerous borrowing, saying “the APC is known of loan, loan, loan”.
While saying that the APC can no longer be trusted with the future of the country, Elumelu said “Let it be on record before Nigerians that it is only the PDP that has a BOT established today in Nigeria. APC has been battling with setting up one and they have never succeeded in doing so.
“Let it be on record also that this is the first time any organized political party BOT will visit National Assembly members to interact with them. I say thank you to our focussed BOT.
“Let me also state that we are not like APC. We can never be like them. They have promised Nigerians so many things such as one naira to one dollar, but today it is N596. They have promised Nigeria that farmers would be able to go to farm and produce food for us. But today, no farmer can go to farm because of insecurity.
“They promised good roads, but if you go to the airports, you will see a crowd because we do not have good roads. The legacy left by the PDP government is still what we are enjoying today because of bad policies by APC.
“They are trying to mortgage the future of our children by trying to get China to colonize us. Loan, loan, loan. APC is known for loan taking and that is very bad.
“So coming here to interact with us is something that only a focussed party can do. APC cannot do it. They set out to select state officers, they succeeded in electing 92 state chairmen and they have not been able yo reconcile them in the 36 states plus FCT and they say they are going to do a convention.
“In Kano for example. Ganduje is leading some, Shekarau is leading one and I wonder which people are coming for the convention. It is going to be another promises like one dollar to one naira.
“We are not like them who would go to the United Nations and lie that they have built specialist hospitals in 36 states. You all know that is a lie. But the President of Nigeria to go there and say such a thing it is a big shame. We can go on and on.
“The two chambers’ minority caucuses are doing very well and we bring you good greetings from them and we want to thank you and promise that just like we have made them”.
Turning to the leadership of the party, Elumelu warned against imposition of candidates on the the party in the forth coming general elections saying that popular candidates should be allowed to emerge.
He said “Please tell our party that this is the time that we should imbibe true democracy and there must be transparency in all the primaries that we are going to organise. Let the popular people be chosen.
“The issue of imposition should be shunned in our party. This is what my colleagues asked me to tell you. For our colleagues too, this is the period that we have experienced pandemic. Most of us never expected it and we have stood by the party.
“We have done robust opposition on the floor and we expect that at least, my colleagues who have been up and doing and representing the party should be so recognized at the point that they are doing this constitution of delegates and also preparing for the forthcoming elections.”
On his part, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also lend his voice to the call on the President to immediately sign the Electoral Act amendment bill into law.
Chairman of the PDP board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin said the National Assembly caucus must work with the BoT and assist it in carrying out it’s function as contained In the party’s Constitution.
He said the aspiration of every PDP member is how the party can take over power from.thr APC in 2023, adding that in working to achieve that, they BoT will establish more cooperation and working relationship with the PDP Governors.
He said “It is my hope that all members of the party should shy away from self interest and serve the party sincerely.
“On the issue of contesting for the President of Nigeria, we should rely more on consultation and discuss seriously among ourselves and select an excellent candidate who will be the president.
“I will like to register that PDP has among its fold experience and quality members worthy of emulation through-out its ruling of Nigeria for 16years and keep in its fold men, women, youth and elders of honor and integrity.
“There is no need to involve us in an unnecessary problem and conflicts aimed
at killing the party. Those that have selfish and personal ambition should never try to kill the party.
“It is worth noting that the BoT has been trying very hard to keep the party alive. We have done so during an attempt by Ali Modu Sherif to destroy the party, thanks to the supreme court judgement for supporting the truth.
“In the case of the former NWC headed by Prince Uche Secondus, the BoT has contributed eminently to keeping our party intact. While the judiciary is trying its best to solve the political problems legally, we believe that a political solution is better and safer in solving our political problems.”