NASS PDP caucus endorses southern govs’ resolutions on power shift
The National Assembly caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed and adopted the recent resolutions of southern governors on shifting presidential power to the south in 2023, the establishment of state police, electoral reforms, the five per cent oil equity share for host communities, and described the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Muhammadu Buhari as a failure.
The caucus, led by Senate and House Minority Leaders, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Ndudi Elumelu, respectively, at a joint press briefing, commended the southern governors for their decision which they described as “a bold step on common issues, irrespective of their party differences.”
Periscope International recalls the southern governors had on Monday in a communique in Lagos after their meeting canvassed for the shifting of the position of the country to the south in 2023, rejected moves to alter the Electoral Act to remove electronic transmission of results and the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) with three per cent share of oil revenue for host communities.
The caucus also described as “unpatriotic and mischievous” alleged attempt to tamper with a critical component of the electoral bill and subvert democratic process, institutionalise rigging, bastardise and frustrate genuine efforts towards credible elections in the 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 centres,” they said.
According to the opposition caucus, the joint PDP caucus was 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.
They also affirmed the demand by the 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 backed the demand by the 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.
Speaking further, the caucus spokesman, Senator Abaribe, said that they agreed with the position of the southern governors in rejecting the three per cent share of oil revenue to host communities as passed by the Senate, supporting instead the five per cent share 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,” Abaribe stated.