Electoral Bill: PDP Governors Urge National Assembly to Override Buhari’s Veto

• The PDP governors want the National Assembly to immediately conclude issues surrounding the Electoral Act Amendment Bill
• The opposition party governors urged the National Assembly to immediately override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto
• The governors also lamented over the state of the Nigerian economy, security issues and unemployment

Port Harcourt - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has urged the National Assembly to immediately conclude issues surrounding the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto.

The forum made the call in a communique at the end of its meeting on Monday, January 17 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

In the communique read by its chairman and Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, the governors said that overriding Buhari’s veto would quicken resolution of the issue and not provide the president another opportunity to delay the signing of the bill by withholding assent again.

Read also

National convention: Ex-presidential aide tackles PDP governors, accuses them of issuing deceptive statement

The forum deplored the unabating insecurity and economic crises plaguing the country, pointing out that all economic indices bequeathed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by the PDP in 2015 had collapsed.

Part of the communique read:

“The PDP Governors' Forum congratulated the entire PDP family for conducting a smooth and successful national convention that led to the emergence of the highly-acclaimed Senator Iyiochia Ayu-led National Executive Committee.

“The forum commended the new PDP National Working Committee for hitting the ground running with respect to repositioning the PDP as a credible party for the rescue and rebuilding of Nigeria which has been battered by bad economy, insecurity, unemployment, and other social ills hoisted on citizens by the incompetent and inept APC administration.

“The PDP Governors requested the National Assembly to quickly conclude deliberation on the Electoral Act Amendment either by overriding the president's veto or delete the areas of complaints.

Read also

Breaking: INEC releases bombshell, says no election timetable until electoral bill is signed into law

“The meeting advised that the option of overriding the president's veto will lead to a quicker resolution to deny him the opportunity to once again truncate a reformed electoral jurisprudence for Nigeria because an early concluded Electoral Act is vital for credible elections.”

The governors also decried the rising spate of insecurity in the country and the inability of the APC administration to confront kidnappers and bandits spilling the blood of innocent Nigerians on daily basis.

According to the communique, the meeting expressed regrets at Buhari's unwillingness to consider the issue of state police which would help to tackle insecurity in the country.

The forum commended the host, Governor Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding contributions to the growth of the party.

In attendance were Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, - Sokoto state; Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom; Douye Diri – Bayelsa state; Samuel Ortom - Benue; Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu state.

Read also

PDP governors highlight 6 reasons APC must exit power in 2023

Others are Nyesom Wike – Rivers; Oluseyi Makinde – Oyo state; Ahmadu Fintiri - Adamawa and Bala Mohammed - Bauchi state.

Professor Jega asks Buhari to give nod to electoral bill

Recall that a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, at a recent event, called on President Buhari to give assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill on time.

Jega stated that INEC needs the law in place to begin serious preparations for the 2023 elections.

He admitted that some issues in the bill need clarification, but added that other aspects of the document deserve the president's nod.

Electoral Bill: NLC vows to mobilise millions of its members for nationwide protest

Meanwhile, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba has declared that Nigerian workers will hit the streets across the country to force the Buhari administration to sign the 2021 Electoral Bill.

Read also

2023: Governor Wike hosts PDP governors over party's choice for presidential candidate

Comrade Wabba said Nigerian federal lawmakers should be proactive in ensuring the approval of the bill before the 2023 elections.

He said the NLC expects the 'needful' to be done by the lawmakers before the end of January 2021.

Source: Legit.ng