Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to deploy appropriate technologies necessary to ensure that the votes of every Nigerian was counted and made to count.
Similarly, the forum has also tasked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd, and telecommunications companies 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 election.
The governors, who met in Bauchi, Bauchi State, last Monday, stated these in a 10-point communique issued at the end of their meeting, during which they deliberated and reviewed the deteriorating state of the country’s democracy, the economic and security situation in the country.
The Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who read the communique, said the forum identified with the need for 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.
In attendance were, Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Douye Diri (Bayelsa); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (Oyo); Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Deputy Governor Mahdi Mohd (Zamfara).
The PDP governors 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.
According to the forum, the direct method was prone to massive rigging, as evidenced by a situation where President Muhammadu Buhari scored about 15million votes in the 2018 APC direct primaries, only to score 15million votes from the entire country in the 2019 general election.
The governors stressed 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.
Again, the PDP governors condemned the use of underhand tactics to arm-twist some of their colleagues 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.
The forum lampooned Buhari and APC for turning the Presidential Villa that belongs to all Nigerians into the new APC headquarters, where coerced PDP members were being paraded at intervals.
On the issue of the economy, the PDP governors admonished the APC-led 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.
The governors advised the Federal Government to 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 which insisted on investing in Nigeria rather than Ghana, and is being frustrated by regulatory authorities.”
The PDP governors maintained that it was 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 governors reiterated the need for the NNPC and other revenue generating agencies of government to strictly abide by the Constitution by remitting all their revenues less cost of production into the Federation Account as provided for by Section162 of the Constitution.
Furthermore, the 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.
“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.
The forum thanked the chief host, Governor of Bauchi, Senator Bala Mohammed, for providing conducive atmosphere for the meeting and for the huge difference he has made in provision of infrastructure and general welfare of citizens of the state.
The 10-point communique reads, “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.
“On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Governors identified with the need for a free, fair and credible election in the country and called on the National Assembly to entrench electronic transmission of results of elections in the nation’s electoral jurisprudence.
“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), Telecommunications Companies (telcoms) 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 election.
“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 15million votes in the 2018 APC Direct Primaries only to score 15million 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.
“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 revenues less cost of production into the Federation Account as provided for by S.162 of the Constitution.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“The governors thanked the Chief Host, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed 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”.