A former Jigawa state Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Alhaji Sule Lamido has backed President Muhammadu Buhari for refusing assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
He said the National Assembly’s action was a breach of the provision of the Nigerian constitution which gives political parties the leverage to regulate the conduct of their affairs.
“While the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the safeguard of our plural democracy, the same constitution inherently guarantees the parties to regulate the conduct of their affairs and mandates INEC to oversee compliance of their (parties’) constitution.
“Now for the APC Nigerian Senate to turn itself into a sole administrator of political parties is tantamount to political self-help of APC’s dwindling political fortunes.
“The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the safeguard of our plural democracy, the same Constitution inherently guarantees the parties to regulate the conduct of their affairs and mandates the Independent Electoral Commission to oversee compliance of their (Parties) Constitution a copy of which is deposited with the electoral body.
“There was a time in our political evolution when we had parties headed by late Air Marshal Alfa as the sole administrator of SDP and NRC. But that was when the polical parties were invented and owned by the government with full compliments of offices from the National, States and Local govt, office furniture, motor vehicles, motor cycles, full funding of all the parties activities including transportation and accommodation during congresses and conventions and what have you.”
He said Buhari’s refusal to assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill vindicated him.
