A former National Vice Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South South, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, has called for speedy passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill to enhance the electoral process in the country.
Agidi said this when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.
The chieftain said that those who were anticipating to benefit from the shortcoming of the law may not want the amendment to take place, urging the National Assembly to act in the interest of the nation for the benefit of all.
Ogidi stressed the need for early passage of the bill, ahead of the commencement of 2023 electioneering, to prevent changing the rules during the contest.
“We encourage the National Assembly to work on the amendment of the Electoral Act, the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency amend the Act.
“The APC government has a lot of influence on the National Assembly, they should allow the Assembly amend the Act.
“You may feel that it will not affect you today but nature is a very interesting thing, it may come back to hunt you, you might be the victim.
“So my advice to the APC government is to allow the amendment to happen,’’ he said.
Ogidi expressed worry over the current security situation in the country, saying that people could no longer move freely on the highways without fear of being attacked.
He decried activities of bandits and Boko Haram across the country, stressing the need to stem them before they degenerate further.
Ogidi said that open grazing was no longer tenable in the country, recommending ranching to replace the nomadic system because of its economic potential and viability.
The chieftain commended the Nigerian military for remaining neutral and not venturing into politics in spite of the unpatriotic activities of some politians and the state of insecurity.
“I want to commend the army for resisting the temptation even though some unpatriotic politicians are encouraging them; do not listen to those selfish and unpatriotic politicians.
“Keep maintaining the integrity of the country and allow the police to do the internal work of the nation,’’ he said.
Meanwhile a top contender for the governorship seat in Ekiti under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Wale Aribisala, has assured his supporters of not only going to win the primary but win the governorship election and become the next governor of Ekiti.
Aribisala said this in a statement by the Director-General of Wale Aribisala Campaign Organisation (WACO), Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that he had better chances of winning the election than all the PDP gubernatorial aspirants on the field today, putting all the parameters on the table.
He said that the age, experience, exposure, education, contacts in high places and the pedigree were all to his advantage.
Aribisala also debunked a publication in social media stating that he shelved his ambition for the senatorial post instead of the 2022 governorship position.
He described the publication as false and misleading, maintaining that he could not and never be part of arrangement to trade -off his ambition.
He declared that the said publication might have been orchestrated by a group of people who were intimidated by his political profile.
He noted that the said publication was aimed at distracting, confusing and discouraging members of the public, especially the PDP delegates for the gubernatorial primary in their support for his gubernatorial ambition.
He described those behind the publication as enemies of progress and reaffirmed his readiness to contest the primary whenever it is scheduled to hold.
He appealed to the PDP delegates and members of the general public to discountenance the fake publication, assuring that he was committed to lead Ekiti into a new economic eldorado after winning the PDP primary and the governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aribisala was a former member of the House of Representatives and currently the National Treasurer of the PDP.