PDP Spokesperson Ologbondiyan Challenges Action Of APC Senators, Says It's 'An Atrocious Assault On Sensibilities Of Nigerians' .
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a press release on Thursday berated senators from the All Progressives Congress (APC) over position taken during the debate on electronic transmission of results.
MediaOrchid recalls that earlier today, July 15 2021, Senators took turns to vote on a contentious clause in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, after the Senate Minorty Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, called for a division.
Senators are being called upon to vote individually according to alphabetical order of their States starting with Abia State.
While Abaribe voted ‘yes’ for electronic transmission of election results by INEC, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) voted ‘no’ and the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central) also voted ‘no’.
Senator Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT) voted ‘yes’; Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) voted ‘no’; Senator Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti, PDP) voted ‘yes’, and Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC, Kogi West) voted ‘no’.
Read Full Text :
" The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and indeed majority of Nigerians are shocked over the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to undermine our electoral process by refusing to approve the demand by Nigerians across board for electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.
" The action of the APC senators is an atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner that will engender free, fair and credible process.
" It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature, before conducting elections.
" This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government.
" The decision of the APC Senators therefore amounts to a suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which is a recipe for crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilize our nation.
" It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly resisted.
" Our party, standing with Nigerians, however commends the PDP senators as well as other democratically minded senators in the chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election.
" The PDP however notes the efforts being made in the House of Representatives and urges lawmakers to return to the chamber tomorrow and save our nation from the machination of the APC as being pushed in the Senate. "
No comments:
Post a Comment