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Governors, elected under the aegis of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have berated attempt by the All progressives Congress (APC) dominated National Assembly to foist on political parties, one method of conducting primaries, by Direct method only, through the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The PDP Governors in a communiqué after their meeting in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital, condemned the move, noting that the method was prone to massive rigging, as evidenced by a situation where President 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.

They advised that political parties should be allowed to decide whether to use direct or indirect method of conducting primaries as part of internal democracy in political parties.

While identifying with the need for free, fair, and credible elections in the country, the PDP Governors called on the National Assembly to entrench Electronic transmission of results of elections in the nation’s electoral jurisprudence.

According to the communiqué, “The meeting requested Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the only body empowered by the Constitution to conduct elections, to deploy appropriate technologies necessary to ensure that the votes of every Nigerian is counted and made to count. The meeting further called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Telephone Companies (Telcos) and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that universal access and service of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are provided especially in rural, un-served and under-served areas of the country before the 2023 General elections.”

Find below full text of the Communique of the PDP Governors’ meeting in Bauchi.

*COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 11TH MEETING OF THE PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM HELD ON MONDAY, 26TH JULY, 2021 AT BAUCHI.*

Governors elected on the platform of the PDP met in Bauchi, Bauchi State on 26th July 2021. The meeting deliberated once again on the state of the nation, reviewed the deteriorating state of our democracy, the economic and security situation in the country, the state of the PDP as the main opposition platform in Nigeria, and arrived at the following decisions.

1. On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Governors identified with the need for a free, fair and credible elections in the country and called on the National Assembly to entrench Electronic transmission of results of elections in the nation’s electoral jurisprudence.

 

2. The meeting requested Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the only body empowered by the Constitution to conduct elections, to deploy appropriate technologies necessary to ensure that the votes of every Nigerian is counted and made to count. The meeting further called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Telephone Companies (Telcos) and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that universal access and service of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are provided especially in rural, un-served and under-served areas of the country before the 2023 General elections.
3. The meeting 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 Governors noted that the method is prone to massive rigging, as evidenced by a situation where President 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 method of conducting primaries as part of internal democracy in political parties.

 

4. The Governors reiterated, once again, the need for the NNPC and other revenue generating agencies of Government to strictly abide by the Constitution by remitting all their Revenue less cost of Production into the Federation Account as provided for by S.162 of the Constitution.

 

5. 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. The 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. On the economy, the meeting admonished the APC Federal Government to collaborate more with State Governments to stem the unemployment scourge affecting the youths of Nigeria, through technology and increased production in all fields of endeavour, reiterating that 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. On security of lives and properties, 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 is destroying the Nigerian economy, the educational and social future of our children and causing significant social upheavals in society, the PDP Governors admonished.

 

9. The PDP Governors enjoined all Nigerians of goodwill to take advantage of the ongoing registration of Voters by INEC to register to vote, thereby arming themselves with the necessary tools in the struggle to RESCUE NIGERIA from the APC maladministration.

 

Furthermore, the general public, especially our Youths and Women are implored to use the opportunity of the PDP E-REGISTRATION exercise which will kick off soon, to register as PDP members, while PDP Members should update their membership electronically.

 

10. The Governors thanked the Chief Host, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohamed, CON, of Bauchi State for providing a conducive atmosphere for the meeting and for the huge difference he has made in provision of infrastructure and general welfare of citizens of Bauchi State, the Pearl of Tourism.

 

In attendance are:

Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR – Sokoto State  – Chairman

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu -Abia State – Vice Chairman

Gov. Udom Emmanuel  – Akwa Ibom State – Member

Gov. Sen. Douye Diri  – Bayelsa State  – Member

Gov. Samuel Ortom -Benue State -Member

Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa  – Delta State  – Member

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi  – Enugu State  – Member

Gov. Nyesom Wike, CON  – Rivers State  – Member

Gov. Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde  – Oyo State  – Member

Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri  -Adamawa State -Member

Gov. Godwin Obaseki – Edo State  -Member

Gov. Bala Mohammed -Bauchi State  – Member

Gov. Arc Darius Ishaku  -Taraba State -Member

Deputy Gov. Mahdi Mohd     -Zamfara State -Deputy Governor