Senator Abdullahi Adamu, leader of the pro-Buhari group of senators
opposed to the reordering of the 2019 election time-table, has given a
hint about those behind the move.
The former governor of Nasarawa state declared that some All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators were promoting the re-order.
He said 59 out of the 109 members of the red chamber were against the
change in dates, and that of the remaining 50, those on APC platform
were against President Buhari and his re-election.
In a chat with New Telegraph, Adamu explained that he and others
recently walked out of plenary over the matter because “We feel very
strongly that the process by which the so-called Conference Report was
laid and considered was a deliberate rus”
“If you took note of the report that was circulated, the chairman and
the co-chairman did not sign it. We don’t know why they didn’t sign.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Electoral Matters, Senator Nazif, did
not sign; Hon Pawjok Gyang, who is the co-chairman didn’t sign it;
Senators Biodun Olujinmi, Ajayi Adeyinka and Peter Nwoboshi also did not
sign.
“Normally, if we are going through due process, these people ought to
have signed the report or do we have different reports submitted on the
same bill by the same committee?
“These are some of the questions begging for answers. I am one of
those in the Senate who believe that the bill needs better attention so
that many of those who wanted to speak on the bill could be heard. Why
the rush? Why do we want to make a law to address one particular problem
at a particular time and targeted at one person?
“This is a very partisan report, it is very partisan because you can
see from the body language, open utterances and gesturing of some people
that it is a predetermined thing by a political party that is
threatened by the APC government and wants to make sure that whatever
incumbency gives anybody, we are denied it.
“I can tell you here today that we have 59 Senators who are opposed
to the inclusion of this section 25 of the Electoral Act. 59 Senators,
you can take that to the bank. If that division was allowed, 59 senators
would have voted to delete that purported amendment in Section 25 of
the Electoral Act.
“You don’t make a law targeted at one person. The perception out
there is that this Section 25 was included to target Mr President. I do
not believe in that amendment and I cannot sit by and watch while a law
is made and targeted at Mr. President. This is why some of us here are
protesting and will continue to protest. I can assure you, it will not
become law.
“Above all, this amendment appears to me to be self serving and some
of of want to pull the rug from under the feet of Mr President and the
All Progressives Congress (APC). Why did we wait until after the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had come out with a
time table for the elections before this bill?”
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