Yenagoa—Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the PDP Governors Forum have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.
The Governors gave the charge in a communique issued on Monday and signed by the Governors of Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Oyo, Rivers State after their meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
According to the Governors, “waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr. President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.”
They congratulated the PDP for winning 43 out of 62 Councillorship positions in the just concluded Abuja Area Council election and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tighten all loopholes and improve on the functioning of the BIVAS Machine for future elections.
The statement reads in part:
“The Governors expressed their displeasure on the issue of contaminated Fuel supplied to Nigerians and urged government to bring perpetrators to account.
“The Governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC-led Federal Government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption and ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. They called for proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.
“The Forum welcomed the Court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State and urged the Federal Government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account.
“In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to States and Local Government.
“The Forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN is being run as an alternate government, indeed, a government within a Government. It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant.
“The Forum once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC operations. They called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the federation account.
“As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of the Constitution Review exercise, the Forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the States and Local Governments.
“This opportunity to rejig the framework for policing and securing Nigeria should not be missed. To this end, the Forum would set up a Panel of Consultants to have a thorough look at the security architecture of Nigeria and make recommendations.
“The Governors also urged the National Assembly to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent List.
“The PDP Governors congratulated His Excellency, Governor Douye Diri, on his second anniversary in office as he has made a positive difference for the people of Bayelsa State. They thanked him for being such a gracious and wonderful host.”
