People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law, the Electoral Act Amendment bill if he is really interested in the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
Atiku, who made the charge at the inauguration of his Presidential Campaign Council on Thursday in Abuja, said that signing the Electoral Act Amendment bill into law was necessary because elections were governed by laws and that good laws were required to ensure credible elections.
“Such laws constrain the behaviour of all who are involved in the electoral process, including the candidates and their supporters, security agents and the electoral umpire (in this case the INEC)”, Atiku said.
Recall that the Senate had on 23 October, 2018 passed the fourth version of the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2018 after the President had declined assent to the bill three times, citing some constitutional and drafting issues.
However, the joint committee on INEC working assiduously on the document based on the issues raised by the President. The amendment seeks to provide the use of card readers and any other similar technological devices for the election, among others.
However, since the issues raised were attended to, the President is yet to append his signature on it, a development that has prompted many to advise the NASS to vote his assent.
Speaking further, Atiku admitted that the 2019 presidential election would be tough largely because of the desperate moves of the APC government to cling to power at all costs.
“We are facing an APC government that isdesperate to cling to power at all costs, which means that this will be a tough Presidential election”, the Waziri Adamawa said.
“Having little to point to as its achievements in nearly four years in office it wants to distract the attention of our people by choosing personal attacks over issues.
“A government that has been in power for nearly its full term should be campaigning on its achievements, its record, rather than personal attacks and fresh promises it obviously will not keep.
“Nigerians know that the APC government has failed woefully. We have to continue to remind our people of that and also tell them what we will do differently to get Nigeria working again”, he said.
Also, Atiku said that he had made it clear right from the beginning that, his 2019 presidential campaign would be focused on issues rather than personal attacks, and, therefore, enjoined members of the Council to ensure that issued-based campaign was maintained.
He called on the leadership of the party to ensure that enlightened, resourceful and well-trained men and women were hired as agents at the polling stations and collation centres.
He said would be necessary because there will be no parallel structures adding that it will ensure that they avoid confusion in their activities and messaging. “We must run a disciplined campaign that stays on message all the time”, Atiku said.
The Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council remains Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, others include, Chairman of the council, PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Director Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, Deputy director general, Kabir Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Campaign deputy chairman, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Chairman Finance Council, Governor of Akwa Ibom Udom Emmanuel.
Other members include, all serving PDP governors, former President and former Vice President amongst others.