The National Assembly Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the re-amended Electoral Bill immediately.

The bill was transmitted to the president on Monday, after being reworked by parliament.

The PDP lawmakers made the call on Tuesday during the Caucus meeting with members of Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, alleged that APC governors were lobbying the president not to sign the bill. He, however, urged Buhari not to yield the request of the governors but sign the bill owing to its importance to strengthening the country’s electoral process.

“We have met them, they said they want direct primaries. We said, ok if it will mean giving Nigerians a very sound reform, electoral reform, we accept. They came back again and said, oh, we have rejected. They are the ones rejecting. They said, ok, we want indirect. We said, we agree, but give Nigerians electoral reform. They came back again and said we want consensus. We have given them consensus.

“Again, I am hearing that, amongst them, those APC governors and whatever, with their wuru-wuru are still plotting for the president not to sign. Nigerians are tired of APC. So, for coming here, we are proud of you people. Your coming has further energised us to know that, we are doing the right thing and we will never let you people down.

“By the grace of God, we will never let you people down and we will ask APC. APC, sign the Electoral Act. Sign it, Nigerians want it signed. Sign and sign and sign. No more delay,” he said.

Earlier, the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said having bent backwards as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari on the earlier rejected Electoral bill, the proposed law should be signed without any delay.

“The minority caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral bill, which we have passed. We made sure that everything he complained about were given to him.

“Now that we have bent backwards, no any excuse or reason should be given again. Provisions of the bill are very critical for expected credibility of the 2023 general elections,” he added.

(Daily Trust)

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