PDP Govs condemn President’s refusal to sign electoral amendment bill

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has condemned the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

The forum made the condemnation in a communiqué signed by its Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, after the forum’s meeting in in Abuja on Monday.

The governors said that the president’s decline of assent to the Bill was indicative that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was afraid of electronic voting or the introduction of technology into the electoral system.

The forum also condemned what it said was “politicization of security agencies in the country’’.

“We observe that security agencies have become organs and tools of the APC-led Federal Government to harass and intimidate the opposition and dissenting voices.

“The Forum decries the use of security agencies to perpetrate electoral fraud as it happened in Ekiti, Osun and Rivers.

“We urge security agencies to be non-partisan in the performance of their duties in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.’’

The governors also condemned theraid on the Abuja residence of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and the harassment on innocent Nigerians on what it termed “frivolous claims.’’

They also advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinvent itself as a truly independent umpire of the electoral process in the country, declaring that the forum had no confidence in the commission.

ALSO READ: Moghalu challenges Buhari to presidential debate, says he cannot dodge by sending Osinbajo

They deplored “the surreptitious, selective and suspicious payment of N16 billion purportedly from the Paris Club Refund.

“We are of the view that the money is to fund corrupt inducement of voters in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun.’’

The forum said that it had resolved to have an all-inclusive meeting with all PDP Presidential aspirants, the party’s national chairman, two national officers and leaders of the party in the National Assembly.