Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: politics

APC: Crisis looms as Giadom unseats Ajimobi, annuls Obaseki’s disqualification amidst heightened security

The political crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is now intense as the erstwhile Acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom has declared himself Acting National Chairman on the premise of a subsisting court order issued on March 16, 2020.

Giadom, who arrived the national secretariat of the party in Abuja as early as 9.00 am and headed into the office to take over in acting capacity, in a media address declared the appointment of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as Acting national Chairman illegal and unconstitutional.

Erstwhile Acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Victor Giadom

While declaring that Ex-Governor Ajimobi’s appointment cannot stand, Giadom referred to the order by Justice S.U Bature in suit no FCT /HC/M/6447/2020 as the basis for taking over as Acting Chairman of the APC.

“That order could not be immediately effected at that time because of the temporary reprieve Adams Oshiomhole got from the court of appeal on the same day.

“However, having removed the temporary reprieve yesterday (Tuesday) by the court of appeal and considering the fact that we cannot allow for a vacuum, I most humbly inform you that I have assumed office as Acting national chairman of our great party in compliance with the order of the court”, Giadom argued.

In a move that is rather swift, Giadom shocked political observers when he announced the reversal of Edo governorship election screening masterminded by the sacked Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Giadom, declared as null and void, the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki from contesting in the Edo state governorship primaries.

Furthermore, Giadom, who disclosed that he has the support of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) directed governorship aspirants of the party in Edo state to report to the national secretariat of the party in Abuja between today and tomorrow to come for a fresh screening exercise in line with the party constitution.

Similarly, Giadom declared that Emmanuel Ibediro ceases to be the national organising secretary of the party in line with an Abuja court order FHC/ABJ/CS/733//2018, and ordered the Deputy National Organising Secretary, Muhammed Sani Ibrahim to assume his position.

Meanwhile, since the sack of Adams Oshiomhole yesterday (Tuesday), it was anticipated that the APC National Secretariat had potentially become a battleground. In order to forestall the breakdown of law and order, security operatives in the early hours of Wednesday proactively took over and were strategically positioned inside and outside the APC secretariat.

The security agents, who arrived the party headquarters on two Hilux Patrol vehicles, stopped the journalists covering the party from gaining entrance into the complex.

Interestingly, the suspended chairman, Oshiomhole, who has been in a long-drawn battle with his successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, seems to have respected the court ruling as he stayed out the secretariat.

However, there was mild celebration among secretariat staff who gathered in groups discussing the removal of former national Chairman, Oshiomhole.

In a related development, the party’s National Vice-Chairman (North), Salihu Mustapha, also ordered security agents not to entertain any media briefing from the opposition camp.

June 17, 2020
Rumble in APC: Ajimobi and Giadom battle for Oshiomhole’s seat

The political drama that took centre stage in Edo State in the past weeks appears to have shifted base to the All Progressives Congress (APC) national Secretariat as two top party stalwarts fight for the leadership of the party after Appeal Court upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole.

The battle for Oshiomhole’s temporary replacement is heightened by claims from immediate past governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the current Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party and Chief Victor Giadom, the party’s incumbent Deputy National Secretary and member of the National Working Committee, as the rightful Acting National Chairman.

The plot twist begun moments the APC announced Ajimobi as its Acting National Chairman, when Giadom, in a statement by his counsel, Chief Wole Afolabi, sighted by Echotitbits, insisted that the order of the FCT High Court issued on March 16, 2020 by Hon. Justice S.U Bature in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 to the effect that Chief Victor Giadom is to act as the National Chairman of the party due to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman remains valid. Consequently, the Giadom camp was swift in rendering Ajimobi’s appointment null and void and of no effect through that earlier judgment.

Read the statement by Victor Giadom’s counsel below

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly issued by the Publicity Secretary of the APC to the effect that Senator Abiola Ajimobi is to act as the National Chairman of APC following the suspension from office of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by the Court of Appeal.

“We wish to state that the statement must have been issued in complete ignorance of the order of the FCT High Court issued on 16th of March, 2020 by Hon. Justice S.U Bature in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 to the effect that Chief Victor Giadom is to act as the National Chairman of the party due to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman.

“The order was given the same day that the Court of Appeal earlier gave Oshiomhole a temporary respite by staying the execution of the said order suspending Oshiomhole. Now that the Court of Appeal has affirmed the order of suspension, it is only proper that the Order recognising Chief Victor Giadom is implemented.

“Consequently, we have written to all law enforcement agencies to implement the said order and any one who attempts to parade himself/herself other than Chief Victor Giadom as the Acting Chairman of the APC would be facing contempt of court proceedings.”

June 17, 2020
Shortly after Oshiomhole’s sack, APC appoints Ajimobi as acting National Chairman

Idowu Sowunmi

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally reacted to the news in which the Court of Appeal has upheld the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole as APC national chairman.

Reacting to the Appellate Court ruling on Tuesday, APC NWC, in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said: “Guided by advice from the party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the party’s constitution, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, will serve as the party’s Acting National Chairman.

“According to Section 14.2. (iii) of the APC constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone.”

Read the full text of the statement below:

Senator Abiola Ajimobi to Serve as APC Acting National Chairman

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has received the news indicating the Appeal Court has upheld the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, by an FCT High Court pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Guided by advice from the party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the party’s constitution, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, will serve as the party’s Acting National Chairman.

According to Section 14.2. (iii) of the APC constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone.”

June 17, 2020
Breaking: Oshiomhole takes a hit as court declares him suspended

The Court of Appeal on Tuesday upheld an order suspending Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress based on lack of merit.

Earlier in March, an Abuja high court had ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the APC.

June 16, 2020
Edo: Loyalists to Obaseki, Oshiomhole trade words over disqualification

Hours to his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political supremacy battle between incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki and predecessor and National Chairman of the APC had gotten hotter with recent happenings in Edo state, supporters of both actors are not relenting in pointing out which side of the divides is right for wrong on the disqualification over certificate saga.

In a debate monitored by Echotitbits on TVC News channel, party chieftains loyal to Governor Obaseki and Oshiomhole disagreed over the issue.

Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a cousin to the embattled Edo Governor, accused Adams Oshiomhole of an attempt to “emasculate” and “disenfranchise” the people of Edo State.

Obaseki condemned Oshiomhole for “summarily orchestrating the disqualification of a sitting governor whom he (Oshiomhole) just less than four years ago said was the shining star in his own armour”.

Dr. Obaseki, who contested against his cousin, Godwin Obaseki in the 2016 APC governorship primary election described the decision of the Jonathan Ayuba-led screening committee to disqualify Edo Governor from participating in the primary election as upsetting.

“It is clear that Mr Oshiomhole who is the most biased umpire in the history of any political party in Nigeria had orchestrated the summary dismissal or disqualification of Mr Godwin Obaseki in the most spurious, the most unethical manner.”

During the debate, when the House of Representatives member representing Akoko Edo, Honourable Peter Apaktason mentioned how Dr. Obaseki, as a governorship aspirant in the primary election of the APC in 2016 described as unqualified and not to be trusted, his own cousin, Governor Obaseki, whom he contested against; Dr. Obaseki said:

“It’s a pity that my most Honourable has decided to be a little less factual this bright morning by turning this issue about me. It is not about me, it’s about the Edo people and I don’t want to start talking about him and casting aspersions on his person. That will be most dishonourable.

Dr. Obaseki berated APC National Chairman Oshiomhole for cooking “tales by moonlight” rather than concentrating on guaranteeing the progress of the party.

“Before he became National Chairman, APC had 27 states. Now if Godwin leaves APC today we would have dwindled down to 19. The same certificate issue was in 2016 a major issue. The PDP went to three courts, and all the courts exonerated Mr. Godwin Obaseki.”

In his attempt to discredit his cousin’s disqualification, the University lecturer said: “He’s talking about discrepancies when our national law, the electoral law made it clear in the last judgement passed in the case between Atiku Abubakar and our President was clear that all he needed to show was attendance up to secondary school level.

“And the University of Ibadan where he’s seeing discrepancies in the certificate came out to publicly in an unprecedented move to say this man went to our school and graduated. It is not the position of any of the parties to begin to question the veracity of his entry qualification when that entry qualification has not been rejected by the issuing authority” he said.

Dr. Obaseki lamented that Edo people who once had a governor that had no primary school certificate are being shortchanged by the conspiracy. ,

“I’m talking about Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, we all know that he had to set ablaze the Ministry of Education” he added.

On the other hand, Oshiomhole’s loyalist, Representative Peter Akpatason affirmed the decision of the APC screening committee to disqualify Governor Obaseki so as to “protect the interest of the party against what has become obvious in recent times”.

“When there are discrepancies in documents presented by candidates, a party stand the chance of loosing. Even after winning election, this is exactly what has happened in Edo state. And I think it is important that we look at the merit of the issue rather than sentiment” Akpatason said.

The Akoko Edo representative in the House of Representatives noted that: “The fact is that what happened in Bayelsa is the same thing that is happening in terms of defect of documents. That’s what it is. You protect the interest of the people by not allowing them to file out to go and vote for nothing, but ensuring that when they vote they are actually voting for a candidate that can stand the test of litigation”.

June 16, 2020
Edo Election: Former Vice President Atiku moves to admit Obaseki into PDP

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has invited embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so as to actualize his reelection bid, which is being threatened by forces in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to TheCable, the former Vice President on Friday reached out after news of Obaseki’s disqualification from participating in the APC primary election broke.

Atiku Abubakar, who defected from the APC to the PDP in November 2017 in order to contest the 2019 presidential election is said to be negotiating a “soft landing” for Obaseki should he decide to switch lanes to the opposition party.

Atiku’s “soft landing” moves is believed to help Obaseki bypass the PDP constitution, which requires anyone who seeks an elective position under the party to have been a registered member for at least 18 months, and favour him with a waiver.

A source close to Atiku was reported to have said that the former Vice President discussed Obaseki’s likely defection with some PDP governors.

According to TheCable, the source said: “The Waziri (of Adamawa Emirate which Abubakar was turbaned in 2018) is wooing Obaseki on behalf of PDP. He spoke with him yesterday and encouraged him to join the PDP.

“He also spoke to some of the PDP governors and urged them to give him a soft landing and access to the party”, the source said.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, who has been in a long drawn battle with his predecessor and National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was disqualified from participating in the primary election that would have been a vehicle to his second term reelection.

On Friday, Chairman of the APC screening committee Edo governorship poll, Jonathan Ayuba, announced that Obaseki was disqualified based on a “defective certificate”.

While political observers believe that Obaseki will likely join the PDP, his alleged traducer, who once supported him to be Governor in 2016, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a consensus candidate for one of the party’s faction in Edo State.

June 13, 2020
Edo Election: Hours after APC disqualified Obaseki, Edo youths protest against violence

The political drama playing out in Edo State ahead of the September 19 Governorship election continues today as youths who are members of the Edo Concerned Citizens stormed the streets of Benin, the Edo State capital to stage a peaceful protest.

The youths on Saturday marched through major streets carrying signs that read “fairness in politics”, “Peace not war”, Edo must choose wisely”, amongst others.

The protest March, which is suggestive of the political tension that is brewing in the state due to the disagreement between the immediate past governor of the state, now National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the incumbent, who is seeking a reelection under the APC, Governor Godwin Obaseki, was clear in its purpose of reaching out to political gladiators in the state and demanding a peaceful governorship election.

The protesters, who explained that the demonstration became necessary as political events heightened in the state, also urged political leaders to sustain the relative peace in the state as they prepare for the September 19 governorship election.

They also noted that recent turn of events, likely referring to the power tussle within the APC, which on Friday led to the disqualification of Governor Obaseki by screening officials, have raised concerns about likely violence and other electoral malpractices during the upcoming governorship election.

As the protest held, rumour of the defection of Governor Obaseki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was rife in town.

June 13, 2020
Is Senator Amosun really an “Alaseju”?

By Atanda Odewole

Keen observers of Ogun State political developments are still trying to discern the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. On one hand, the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) seems to be irreconcilably divided with the Dayo Adedayo led faction emerging victorious through the judicial process. This has almost certainly assured Senator Buruji Kashamu the gubernatorial ticket.

On the other hand, the Ogun APC primaries brought a different dimension. While the PDP gladiators fought their battles in courts, the Ogun APC leaders opted to settle scores through the ballots. A former Governor of the State, in tango with an erstwhile Governor of Lagos State have pitched their tent with the official APC candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who emerged through a process described by most observers as lacking democratic participation by APC party members. In essence, Prince Abiodun’s emergence as the gubernatorial candidate was ordained by the aforementioned erstwhile Governors through the National Chairman of APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The other party in the Ogun APC, simply opted to restructure their electoral participation through the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), where Governor Amosun’s preferred gubernatorial candidate and many others emerged as INEC recognised candidates for various elective offices.

So what could have led to this scenario? Is this a case of Ogun APC becoming the jewel of the shrine in the 2023 political calculations of Capo Du Tutti? Or as some have suggested that the Governor is an “Alaseju”.

Be that as it may, the point must be made that as fractious as APC appears, the opposition, as personified by PDP, is equally so weak that it poses little threat to the outcomes of the 2019 Ogun electoral battles.

But in order to comprehend the causal factor of the Ogun APC fracture, it is necessary to highlight the departing pressure points. First is the October 2nd 2018 gubernatorial primary and second the October 7th primary. Both primaries were conducted by two different NWC panels led by Indabawa and Col. Ali Ciroma (Rtd.). The October 2nd 2019 primary conducted by the Indabawa NWC panel became controversial following the annulment of the primary results that threw up Hon. Abiodun Akinlade as the winner. On another note, the October 7th national and state assembly primaries were rancour-free and the results were declared by the NWC Panel Chairman Col. Ali Ciroma (Rtd). These results, won fairly by Amosun loyalists, were also jettisoned by the Chairman of APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on the instigation of the aforementioned erstwhile Governors. It is this that finally led to the parting of ways by the Ogun APC leaders.

Bearing these in mind, the question that lingers in the minds of some who desired mechanical unity is that “Is Amosun an Alaseju?” As the leader of APC in Ogun State, Senator Amosun has tried his best to keep the party together as one family. Up till September 2018, before the primaries, the party was strong and united. If all other things were to remain equal, there is a high probability that the APC will coast home to victory in the 2019 governorship election without much ado.

But the same cannot be said of Ogun APC today. The party is now in a big mess following the controversial primary election in which the mandate given to Hon. Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade was annulled and handed over to Mr. Dapo Abiodun by the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. This was a rape of democracy, the height of injustice and the most inglorious electoral robbery ever perpetrated in the history of APC.

It is only natural that the governor, who is the leader and conscience of the party, must respond to that development. In the midst of his response, which was not palatable to his detractors, we often hear a riposte that Senator Amosun is an “alaseju”, meaning, when literally translated, that he is overdoing things and cannot be kept under check. Haba! I am tempted to say that this kind of riposte on the part of some supposedly learned individuals lacks a sense of history and fails to understand the power play within the party.

A recount of how the APC under Senator Amosun got to where it was, before hell was let loose, will clear the air. Prior to the 2015 elections, a group within the party led by a respected former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, stirred the hornets’ nest and decided to organise a parallel governorship primary in Ogun APC, which did not jell. In an attempt to avoid the shame of losing out in the primaries, Chief Osoba and co, including all their disgraced candidates, left APC to contest the election under the banner of Social Democratic Party (SDP). Osoba boasted to high heavens that the SDP would win the 2015 elections and put the Amosun-led APC to ignominy. As it turned out, the results showed that Chief Osoba and his group were electoral liabilities as they lost the 2015 elections woefully.

The Amosun-led APC won the said elections with a landslide victory. Senator Amosun immediately initiated policies that transformed the APC into a virile and the most organised chapter of the party in the country. As it were, the rancour-free congresses of the party in May 2018 had kept the other chapters in the country wondering how the Ogun State chapter did it.

Though Chief Osoba and co found themselves back in APC on the eve of 2015 elections, one cannot really blame them for this. Chief Osoba is a well discerned politician. He realised that while he was outside the APC, Senator Amosun had used his resources to build the party. There is nothing bad in wanting to be part of the success story. However, Chief Osoba and co had a different agenda; the intention was to come and hijack the APC structure and feed fat where they didn’t sow.

What happened before, during and after the primaries in Ogun APC is no longer news. Chief Osoba, in concert with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, upturned the will of the people and imposed Mr. Dapo Abiodun as the governorship candidate of APC in Ogun State. The imposition of Mr. Dapo Abiodun was a volte-face.

In his response to this treachery, Senator Amosun didn’t do anything unwieldy to warrant the shout of “alaseju” as some gullible observers would want us to believe. He only allowed those who were cheated in the primaries to exercise their democratic rights. Would it be right for Senator Amosun to stop them from dumping APC and moving to a new party?

Indeed it is unreasonable to expect Senator Amosun to agree to the Oshiomhole-led treachery. It would have amounted to committing a political hara-kiri, just as Wole Soyinka said: “The man dies in him who keeps silence in the face of tyranny.”

Senator Amosun is perceived to have acted rightly by standing firm without betraying his conscience.

January 21, 2019
Ogun 2019: GNI, Amosun aide disagree on OGD vs SIA administration

By Tobiloba Kolawole

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State, Gboyega Isiaka, says the Ibikunle Amosun led government ranks low compared to the administration of former governor, Gbenga Daniel.

The governorship hopeful bared his mind while speaking to Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV in Lagos recently.

He said the APC led government has not done well in eight years “in the sense of even development of the state, in the sense of priority setting for the state, in terms of looking at potentials for the state, particularly economic potentials for the state and try to wake them up”.

Isiaka accused Amosun of favouring Abeokuta central, where the governor hails from, by concentrating many of his projects there.

He stated that: “Amosun’s development approach is lopsided and not balanced to benefit all parts of the state. He concentrated largely on one area, which is road construction in the centre. I do not have any problem with developing the centre, but that should not be done at the extreme expense of other areas and other sectors particularly human capital development.

“At the end of the day, what this generation will leave for the next generation is the knowledge that we have left in the heads of our people. I think that the government now has not done enough in that area. Again, I think we have too much economic potential that we needed to have continued and do a lot about but he did not do”, Isiaka said.

Isiaka who was appointed a pioneer Group Managing Director of Gateway Holdings in 2004 by former governor Gbenga Daniel reacted to rumours that if he won the governorship election, he would be a string tied to the apron of his former boss.

He said: “I don’t know what that means. I had an opportunity of working with that government, I will not deny that. I think you should ask an average person on the street of Ogun state today and now that they’ve had the opportunity of another governor for 8 years, to pick out of the two. I believe very strongly that majority will pick the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel.”

The former Special Assistant on Investment in the last administration reiterated his plan to rule the state through a strategy he calls ‘7 Steps to Abundance’. He explained that: “What we mean by that is that an average Ogun state man and woman, young and old should live a fulfilled life, should be able to achieve his potential giving the wherewithal and resources that we have as a state; should be able to live a decent life giving what we have.

While answering questions on his claim to return missionary schools to private founders, which is generating reactions among stakeholders, Isiaka denied making such promise.

He stated that: “It was wrongly reported by the press. What we said is that we will encourage NGOs, private institutions and missionaries in whichever religion, to participate and partake in school development. But that will be done within laid down rules, guidelines and principles.”

“We also said that immediately we get into office, we will call an education summit because the state of our education in Ogun State now is nothing to write home about. We are going to have a comprehensive education summit. We are of the view that we should encourage private sector involvement and this is done everywhere. In Lagos state you have own a school; you have alumni participating in schools, you have all manners of these things happening”, Isiaka said.

However, a member of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s cabinet, Adeniyi Adesanya has described Isiaka’s claims as erroneous and an attempt to score cheap political goals that is bound to fail.

Adesanya, who is a consultant with the Ogun State Government, warned that people should not hide under politicking to spew erroneous information just to malign the sitting governor.

He said: “When you talk, you must back it up with reasons. I am bold enough to say that erroneous impression will not augur well for any development issue especially now that we are politicking.”

“Governor Amosun has done very wonderfully well in social, economy etc. My dear aburo there, Isiaka, of course going back the days we would say that Yewa people deserve governorship but that is not to say that we should malign anybody, Adesanya said.

The former Special Adviser to the governor on Political Affairs added that it is only logical and sensible to ensure there is adequate development at the capital, which serves as the centre of all economic activities in the state.

He further said that “when we came in to government in 2011, the internally generated revenue was around N700 million. So I ask one of them talking now, where were they when Amosun in his energetic self called all of us that we must all be on our toes at ensuring that we raise the revenue of the state? Now as I speak, the revenue of the state is about N7 billion. That happened because somebody is there who pays attention to details and fears God.”

Adesanya emphasized that a capital city should have the trappings of its status: “When you go to the UK, are you saying Kent should be developed more than the centre, which is London, or Manchester, Glasgow more developed? The capital is the centre of economic sanctity. Therefore, when you have a capital, it must look like a capital. Abeokuta for too long has experienced a lot of underdevelopment. It is the benefit of the capital that will spread to all other parts of the state.

“I will ask this person that is talking (Isiaka), is Imeko Afon the way it used to be? In Ilaro, Aiyetoro, go and see what we did there, it is monumental, even my own town in Sagamu”, he said.

January 5, 2019
2019: Atiku doubts Buhari’s commitment to free and fair elections

By Tobiloba Kolawole

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to assent the Electoral Act 2018 Amendment Bill. Atiku, who appears to be the main opposition to Buhari’s reelection bid, expressed doubt about the President’s commitment to free and fair elections in 2019.

The former vice President made his position known on Friday via his Twitter handle: “Mr. President, assurances that your administration will conduct free, fair and credible elections cannot be taken seriously. For Nigerians and especially us in the opposition, you just missed an opportunity to walk the talk.”

Another prominent PDP member who has voiced his disappointment over Buhari’s decline to assent the Electoral bill was former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who said that the President’s action can only mean he does not trust the judgment of his party members at the National Assembly that actively took part in the passing of the bill.

“What is President Buhari’s fear concerning this Electoral Bill? Can the interest of a single individual be placed above that of Nigeria and its people? Is he saying that even his party members in the NASS were wrong to have passed the Electoral Bill? May God save our country?” Fayose wrote on his twitter handle.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians have alleged that the real reason President Buhari declined assent to the Electoral Act 2018 Amendment Bill was to benefit from faceless voters who had no permanent voters cards (PVCs). One of those making the accusation is a former aide of ex President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Reno Omokri, who made reference to a data by DeepDive Intelligence that is now circulating online, President Buhari won the 2015 Presidential election because over 13 million people with no PVCs voted.

“The real reason Buhari does not want to sign the Electoral Act is because 75% of the faceless voters who voted without PVCs in 2015, voted for Buhari. That is how he rigged the 2015 election. That is what the new Electoral Act will stop”[SIC], Reno said.

This is the fourth time President would decline assent to the Electoral Act 2018 Amendment Bill. Reasons for previous refusal had been hinged on errors in the document sent by the National Assembly.

According to the President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), “President Muhammadu Buhari has taken decision on Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018. In accordance with his power under the 1999 Constitution, he has communicated that decision to the Senate and House of Representatives, in accordance with the law.”

Enang was however unwilling to give specific reasons why the President withheld assent to the bill for the fourth time but only stated that Buhari has communicated to the National Assembly.

However, if Nigeria’s membership of the Economic Community of West African States is anything to go by, President Buhari would have breached the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. Article 2 of the protocol forbids member countries from making “substantial modification” to their electoral laws less than six months to elections “except with the consent of a majority of political actors”.

December 8, 2018