August 16, 2018
Press Statement
Why Buhari Is Jittery, Embattled Over Electoral Act Amendment – PDP
…Accuses President of Holding Nigeria to Ransom
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says President Muhammadu Buhari, in
his desperation to achieve a personal ambition, is holding the nation to
ransom by refusing to sign the Electoral Act Amendment bill, passed by
the National Assembly to check manipulations in the 2019 general
elections.
President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are quavering
because the draft law effectively checked all their machinations, which
they have been deploying in rigging past elections and intend to use in
the 2019 general elections.
The amendment bill, which is in the overall interest of the nation,
embattles President Buhari because it eliminates openings for major
malpractices including the use of underage and alien voters, vote
buying, alteration of results and manipulation of voter register, which
the APC intends to use to rig the 2019 elections.
Such provisions include granting INEC powers to utilize Full Biometrics
Accreditation of voters with smart card readers and other technological
devices, which the Buhari Presidency and APC know will effectively check
their reliance on dead, underage and alien voters, which they intend to
use, particularly the Presidential election.
The amendment bill also provides for Instant Transmission of Results
from polling to collation centers which ensures real-time results and
reduces human interferences and election malpractices, thus effectively
checking the alteration of results by the APC.
Furthermore, the Presidency and APC are against the provision that makes
it mandatory for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
publish voters register online as such will end their usual manipulation
of voter register ahead of elections.
The Presidency and APC are also opposing the amendment bill because of a
provision which restricts arbitrary qualifications for candidates and
encourages younger aspirants, as they fear that such can jeopardize
President Buhari’s chances within the APC.
President Buhari knows that, having failed Nigerians in his first
tenure, there is no way he can win in a free, fair and credible
election, hence the desperation to manipulate the system and undermine
the electoral laws.
The PDP therefore calls on the National Assembly to override President
Buhari since his refusal to sign the amendment bill is out of personal
and partisan interests instead of the overall interest of the nation.
This is especially as Nigerians have already reached a consensus to
rally on the platform of the repositioned PDP to elect a new President
with the competence and sincerity of purpose to return our nation to
good governance, national cohesion and economic prosperity.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
