Buhari Consulting Widely On Electoral Amendment Act — Presidency
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – With Nigerians already raising concerns over the delay by President Muhamadu Buhari in assenting to the proposed Electoral Amendment Act, the Presidency has assured that everything is being done in the overall best interest of the country.
It, therefore, insisted that whether the President signs into law the Amendment Act or not, such action will not diminish his democratic value and achievements.
According to the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, wide consultations are presently ongoing between President Buhari and various stakeholders to do what is best for the country, adding; “It is work-in-progress. The President still has a number of days within which he should sign the bill into law.
“Be rest assured that the President would do whatever is good for the country at any given time. So, it is work-in-progress and there’s still a window of days. The President is there to make sure that things go well in the country and to ensure that processes are enhanced and the new law would enhance our electoral process in different ways.”
Adesina, who spoke on Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today’, further said; “So the President would look at that critically and would do the best for the country. Those mounting pressure on the President before are the same people. It could be because maybe they had some sinister motives in the previous law which could have served their purpose and that one was not signed for legitimate reasons.
“And one of the reasons the previous one was not signed was because of the short time within the election and there was a minimum time in which it should be brought. But this one was brought in good time.
“All I am saying is that as long as it would serve our democracy well, serve our electoral processes well and serve Nigeria well, the President would do what is needed. In terms of casting his image on democratic values, that image is made already. Under President Buhari, one election after the other has been better.
Responding to a question on engagement between the President and INEC, said; “You would rather get the feedback from the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), but what I can tell Nigerians is that the President is consulting widely and he would do what is best for the country. We can’t preempt him, he will do it at the appropriate time.”
On whether the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami is among those being consulted, the Presidential aide said; “There are certain things that never get done without the counsel of the Attorney General and this falls right at the purview of the Attorney General. So, you can be sure that every bit on the way, the AGF is being carried along.”
He said as a statesman, the President will not relent in working for the overall best interest of Nigeria, adding; “The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost several elections, he didn’t do anything about it.
“It used to be that whoever was in power won all the elections either by hook or crook but not under President Buhari. So whether the electoral act is signed or not, it wouldn’t detract him from that reputation.”
