…..Hails Nigerians For Upholding Democracy
By King Richard.
Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari does not deserve any commendation for signing the long overdue Electoral Amendment Bill, rather those who stood for democracy should be praised.
He based his argument on the fact that Buhari had dilly dallied for too long a time after lives had been lost and the 2019 election improperly conducted.
Chinda made the disclosure in a chat with journalists on Saturday, describing the encomiums being poured on Buhari as unmerited.
“The President does not deserve an appreciation for assenting to the Bill under duress. His delay has set our democratic development back by many years and caused avoidable deaths.
“Obviously, he was not willing to assent to it, but for the pressure from the people. That fact is underscored by the immediate request for amendment to keep his cronies in office while seeking their party tickets.
He expressed gratitude to all those that made it happen, the NGOs, Diplomatic Missions, Politicians across party lines, that persistently piled pressure on Mr. President, in addition to the PDP and other opposition parties and most importantly, the critical Nigerian masses, who supported the Bill.
“Mr. President as usual has set the democratic development of Nigeria back by 4 years. He ought to have signed this Bill during the 8th Assembly and today we ought to be talking of an amendment to the amended Bill as we would have tested same at the 2019 elections. Perhaps the casualties recorded at the elections would have been avoided. The tah! tah!!, tah! tah!!!! at the Kogi elections would have been avoided. Our sister would have perhaps still be alive today if he assented to the Bill in 2018.
According to him, it took Mr. President 6years to bow to the pressure.
He signed because of fear of protest and the obvious fact that NASS was now impatient across party lines and the Presiding Officers could no longer guarantee control of their members.
An override of his veto had loaded and was waiting to move.
“Again, I am surprised that Mr. President understands that you can amend a Law and he persistently refused to assent to same all these years asking for correction of syntax errors and inclusion of his opinion.
“lt’s not commendable that we are this slow at all things. So, I do not thank Mr. President for setting us back by 6 years and causing loss of lives and properties by his unreasonable delay in assenting to the Bill.
