By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Governors in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have accused Muhammadu Buhari of using Aso Rock as the headquarters of his All Progressives Congress (APC), an abuse of power that further corrupts the political system.
They met in Bauchi where they deliberated on several national issues after which they issued a communique which touched on democracy, the economy, and insecurity, among others.
The communique expressed their views on the following 10 topics:
1. Electoral Act
The Governors expressed support for free, fair, and credible ballot and asked the National Assembly (NASS) to ensure electronic transmission election results.
2. INEC to deploy appropriate technology
The meeting requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), “the only body empowered by the Constitution to conduct elections,” to deploy “appropriate technology” to ensure that votes are counted and made to count.
It urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), telecom firms, and other stakeholders to ensure that universal access and service of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are provided, especially in rural, unserved and underserved areas before the 2023 vote.
3. Party primaries
The Governors “condemned the attempt to foist on all political parties one method of conducting primaries, that is, by DIRECT METHOD ONLY, through the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
“The method is prone to massive rigging, as evidenced by a situation where President [Muhammadu] Buhari scored about 15 million votes in the 2018 APC Direct Primaries only to score 15 million votes from the entire country in the 2019 General Election.”
The Governors advised that political parties should be allowed to decide whether to use direct or indirect primaries as part of internal party democracy.
4. Revenue generating agencies
The Governors reiterated the need for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other revenue generating agencies to “strictly abide by the Constitution” by remitting all revenue, less cost of production, into the Federation Account as in Section 162 of the Constitution.
5. Luring PDP Governors to APC
The meeting “condemned, once again, the use of underhand tactics to arm twist some PDP Governors and other stakeholders to join the APC, a political party that has wrecked Nigeria’s economy, turned Nigeria into a killing field and has nothing to offer Nigerians but misery and bad governance.”
6. Buhari turns Aso Rock into APC HQ
PDP Governors “condemned Mr. President and APC for turning the Presidential Villa, that belongs to all Nigerians, into the new APC headquarters, where coerced PDP members are being paraded at intervals.”
7. Unemployment
The meeting urged Abuja to collaborate more with state governments to stem the unemployment scourge affecting the youth, through technology and increased production in all fields of endeavour.
It reiterates that the federal government “should stop paying lip service on the Ease of Doing Business, as foreign direct investments have continued to fall partly due to obstacles placed on foreign companies wishing to invest in Nigeria.
“A glaring example is that of FACEBOOK who insisted on investing in Nigeria rather than Ghana, and is being frustrated by regulatory authorities.”
8. Insecurity
“In addition to our earlier recommendations, it is time to bring the activities of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists to an end, through increased use of military equipment, traditional means of conflict resolution and technology for surveillance and the development of the political will to flush them out.
“Kidnapping, banditry and terrorism are not business ventures as claimed by APC but heinous state crimes, that are destroying the Nigerian economy, the educational and social future of our children and causing significant social upheavals in society”
9. Voter registration
PDP Governors urged all Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing registration of voters by the INEC to register to vote, “thereby arming themselves with the necessary tools in the struggle to rescue Nigeria from the APC maladministration.”
They implored the general public, especially youths and women, to use the opportunity of the coming PDP e-registration exercise to register as PDP members and PDP members to update their membership electronically.
10. Mohammed, a good host
The Governors thanked Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohamed, for providing a conducive atmosphere for the meeting and for the “huge difference” he has made in providing infrastructure and social welfare in the state, the Pearl of Tourism.
Governors who attended the meeting include
· Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto, Chairman)
· Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia, Vice Chairman)
· Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom)
· Douye Diri (Bayelsa)
· Samuel Ortom (Benue)
· Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta)
· Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)
· Nyesom Wike (Rivers)
· Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo)
· Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa)
· Godwin Obaseki (Edo)
· Bala Mohammed (Bauchi)
· Darius Ishaku (Taraba)
· Mahdi Mohd (Zamfara)