By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Thee joint Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly caucus has thrown their weight behind the Southern Governors Forum (SGF) on their resolutions recently after a meeting in Lagos, part of which were that the 2010 Electoral Act amendment must include the Clause which mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results in 2023 general election.
Reading the position of the Joint NASS caucus to journàlists at the National Assembly complex yesterday, the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said “after due consideration and extensive deliberations on political and security situation in the country, the Joint PDP National Assembly unanimously upholds the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) in vehemently rejecting the clandestine moves to manipulate and alter the Electoral Act to remove the electronic transmission of results from the law.
“Such furtive venture to tamper with a critical component of transparency and credibility of the electoral process is an unpatriotic and mischievous attempt to subvert our democratic process, institutionalize rigging, bastardize and frustrate genuine efforts towards credible elections in our country.
“Electronic transmission of results is the only way to eliminate malpractice and manipulations associated with manual collation of results, including alteration, switching and disappearance of election materials while on transit to various collation centers.”
He said the joint PDP caucus is already taking very strong and uncompromising steps to ensure that the provision guaranteeing the electronic transmission of result is not tampered with in any form whatsoever.
He said “On security, the Joint PDP Caucus reaffirm our unwavering support for the establishment of state police as well as other measures adopted by the governors to ensure the security of lives and property in the respective states, including those curtailing unauthorized movements and occupation of forest areas.
“We also affirm the demands by State governors, that as Chief Security Officers in the states, they must be duly informed before any security institution undertakes any operation in their states.
“The Joint PDP Caucus, also lends full support to the demand by our governors that deductions from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the states and Federal Government to combat security challenges.”
He said these resolutions by the governors, regarding security does not offend but rather reinforce genuine efforts towards guaranteeing adequate security of lives and property given the current situation in the country as a federation.
To this end, the caucus called on governors, lawmakers and critical stakeholders from other regions to support these patriotic initiatives of the Southern Governors’ Forum in the interest of security of lives and property in the nation.
“The Joint Caucus agrees with the position of the Governors in rejecting the 3% percentage of share of the oil revenue to the host community as passed by the Senate and supporting the 5% as passed by the House of Representatives.
“As a Joint Caucus, we have set up very strong machinery to ensure that, in the interest of justice and fairness, the percentage of share of the oil revenue to the host community does not fall below expectation.
“The Joint PDP Caucus commends the Southern Governors’ Forum for the continued patriotic stand in always proffering solutions on critical issues boarding on the security, stability, as well as economic and political well-being of our dear nation at all time”, the caucus said.
