PORT HARCOURT: The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has fired President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his complain that Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 would disenfranchise serving political office holders was selfish and not altruistic.
Wike said if President Buhari truly believes in transparent election and that everybody should have a level playing ground, he would not be suggesting the amendment of the section which he claims will disenfranchise serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party.
Wike spoke in Port Harcourt, yesterday, while reacting to President Buhari’s assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri in.
He noted that the President’s complain that Section 84 (12) is ultra vires with the 1999 Constitution as amended, is neither here nor there.
Wike said: “Mr President has told the world he is trying to protect some of his appointees who want to run election, and who are afraid of leaving office knowing fully well that having left the office it would be difficult for them to assert or to influence the outcome of party primaries.
“If Mr President really believes in free, fair and transparent election, and for everybody to have a level playing ground, Mr President will not call for such amendment.”
Governor Wike observed that President Buhari was not willing to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, but had to succumb to pressure mounted on him by Nigerians. According to him, if the President had declined assent on the bill, the National Assembly would have been embarrassed and lost public confidence.
