*Says passed but now reviewed Bill mentions not electronic voting
*Allegations work of frustrated senators, opposition – Ogunyemi
*‘He’s talked well of card readers’ in his victory, needs it again in 2019’
*If you fail to appreciate peaceful politics of Buhari, APC, we do – Fusika
“I tried [running for President] three times, and ended up in court three times. The fourth time, I eventually made it, thanks to God and thanks to technology. These Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and Card Readers, they’re fantastic. Those who went to their polling booths in their constituencies, and put in their votes, their votes counted. Before, votes were disregarded, [results] were just written, and there was nothing you could do before the [Judiciary] to prove your case. But now with technology, it has been made easy,” Presidency quoted President Buhari saying while hosting judiciary to breaking of fast at the State House on May 28, 2018.
The Presidency has reacted to the publications it calls incorrect and misleading reporting regarding the status of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018 saying President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to the use of PVCs and card readers in the 2019 elections.
In a statement on Wednesday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency set out the true status of the Bill.
It said the reconsidered Bill, returned to the legislature for reasons of required corrections following the one submitted by the chamber end of June, was sat upon by the lawmakers on July 24 and received back in Villa only on August 3.
The statement clarified that, whereas the President has 30 days from the date of receipt to assent to or decline the Bill, it is still under consideration by the Presidency.
It said therefore that the allegations that the President declined assent to the Bill because of objections to the use of card readers are wild and baseless, making bold to say that President Buhari did not and had never raised any objections to the use of Card Readers for elections in Nigeria.
“On the contrary he has always been a passionate advocate for the use of PVCs and Card Readers in elections in Nigeria,” said the Presidency.
The Presidency said: “The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was sent by the National Assembly to the Presidency at the end of June 2018, for assent. Following extensive consideration, the Presidency engaged with the National Assembly to raise concerns regarding errors and inconsistencies found in the submitted version. Following this, the National Assembly, on July 24, 2018, met to review and correct the Bill.
“The Bill was given, on July 24, 2018, a “clause by clause consideration” by the Senate,” it said substantiating its claims by quoting the core of proceedings while the reconsideration of the returned Bill on July 24 last on the floor of the red chamber.
It said, “The Votes and Proceedings from the Senate on July 24, 2018, attest to this. The Senate resolved to rescind its decision on a number of clauses included in the version they had earlier sent for consideration by the President, and to reconsider these clauses.”
And then the President referred to the Senate votes and proceedings of Tuesday July 24, 2018 quoting, “The Senate: … notes that in the course of final cleaning of the Bill as passed, some provisions were found to negate the essence of the amendment; [and] Resolves to: Rescind its decision on Clauses 3,5,8,11(2), 13(b), 14 (4), 15(3), 18,21,23,24,28,32 and 38 of the Bill as passed, and recommit same to Committee of the whole for reconsideration and passage.”
Then it said, “The re-considered Bill was passed by the Senate on July 24, 2018 the same day that plenary was adjourned to September 25, 2018. The revised Version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018, with corrections by the National Assembly, and dated the 2nd of August, 2018, was received by the Presidency on the 3rd of August, 2018. The President has 30 days from the date of receipt, to assent to or decline the Bill. The Bill is therefore still under consideration by the Presidency.
“The allegations that the President declined assent to the Bill because of objections to the use of card readers are wild and baseless. President Buhari did not and has never raised any objections to the use of Card Readers for elections in Nigeria. On the contrary he has always been a passionate advocate for the use of PVCs and Card Readers in elections in Nigeria, mindful of the role that Card Readers and PVCs played in the election that brought him into office. And he has repeatedly made this clear, and praised these technologies.”
It went on to also refer to the President speaking at the State House on May 28, 2018, while hosting the Judiciary to the customary breaking of the Ramadan Fast, when he said:
“I tried [running for President] three times, and ended up in court three times. The fourth time, I eventually made it, thanks to God and thanks to technology. These Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and Card Readers, they’re fantastic. Those who went to their polling booths in their constituencies, and put in their votes, their votes counted. Before, votes were disregarded, [results] were just written, and there was nothing you could do before the [Judiciary] to prove your case. But now with technology, it has been made easy. That is why I keep on appealing to the Governors, to please do voter education. Tell the people that their Voters Card is their national card, so to speak. Let them vote anybody they want across ethnicity and religion. I’m begging the Governors to please continue to do voter education, so that people will take their Permanent Voters Cards seriously, and make sure they don’t lose them.”
The statement said, “None of these clauses reviewed and revised by the National Assembly in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018 relates to the issue of electronic voting or to the use of Card Readers. The President also did not raise any objections whatsoever to the use of Card Readers, contrary to the stories being maliciously peddled by sections of the media and on the Internet.”
In the meantime, a concerned citizens group spoken for by a Lagos economist says allegations of President Buhari opposing the use of PVCs and card readers could only be taken by people of like minds with makers of same.
Also speaking from among the group, Mr. Adedoyin Fusika pointed out what it saw as lies in the allegations, saying President Buhari, who clearly appreciated the deployment of PVC and card readers technology as what eventually actualised the people’s choice of him in 2015 after he had been denied of same for three times before, could not possibly have turned around to decline same benefit in 2019.
Fusika warned that Nigerians, who took side with looters appearing in the garb of now opposition senators and politicians, should beware of the consequences of their actions as, according to him, “If you put politics in the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party led by Obasanjo and Jonathan side-by-side with politics in the three years so far of All Progressives led by Muhammadu Buhari, you will appreciate one thing: it is not a do-or-die, it is people devoid of government sponsored killings, thuggery, reckless spending and impunity”.
He pointed out however that, “If these characters do not appreciate that Buhari and APC style of politics and governance is the most peaceful so far in the Fourth Republic, then it is a pity. But we do appreciate that fact. God bless Nigeria.”
