2023: What PDP Governors Told Buhari About Electoral Bill

The governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately assent to the revised Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

Naija News recalls that the president had declined assent to the bill, citing concerns that the compulsory direct primary for political parties “violates the spirit of democracy”.

The clause was later removed by the Senate and House of Representatives and the lawmakers introduced a clause allowing political parties to elect their candidates using direct, indirect or consensus methods.

The revised bill was subsequently transmitted to the President on January 31 by the Clerk of the National Assembly.

In a communique released on Monday after a meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital, the governors advised the president not to wait for the 30 days duration allowed by the constitution to elapse before signing the electoral bill.

The PDP governors also asked the National Assembly to use the ongoing constitutional amendment to ensure that more powers are delegated to states and local governments.

According to the communique, the governors also condemned the inconsistency and insincerity of the federal government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered.

The communique reads: “The PDP Governors urged Mr President 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.

“The Governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC-led federal government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. We call for a proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.

“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 should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to states and local government.

“The Forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN 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.

“The Forum once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC operations. We call for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the federation account.”