The Peoples Democratic Party has described the newly signed Electoral Act as a ‘death knell’ for the All Progressives Congress, saying the bill would end the party’s era of rigging and manipulations during elections.
This is as the main opposition party also congratulated Nigerians, particularly Civil Society Organizations for fighting on its side in putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to finally assent to the bill.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, gave the party’s position in a statement on Friday titled, ‘Electoral Act: PDP Congratulates Nigerians… Urges Nigerians to Take Charge of Polling Units in 2023’.
The party also saluted the courage of other opposition members in the National Assembly for standing their ground on the passage of the bill which among other things principally provided for the electronic transmission of election results directly from the polling units.
The statement read, “The newly signed Electoral Act is a death knell for the All Progressives Congress (APC) which thrives in manipulations, ballot box snatching, ballot-box stuffing, and alteration of election results at the collation centers against the expressed Will of the people.
“It is clear that President Buhari and the deflated APC had come to their wits end and bowed to the sustained pressure by the PDP and Nigerians for the entrenchment of processes that can guarantee free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2023.
“The victory by Nigerians in resisting the APC and compelling President Buhari to sign the new Electoral Act clearly signposts the inevitable triumph of the Will and aspiration of the people to kick out the APC through a process that ensures that votes cast at the polling units count.
“The PDP calls on Nigerians not to rest on their oars but to further strengthen their resolve by rallying themselves to take charge of their polling units and ensure that their votes are transparently counted and transmitted in the 2023 general elections.
“Nigerians must note that the APC in its desperation will not give up easily but attempt to device other means to frustrate credible elections in the country.
“Our Party therefore charges Nigerians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be at alert and resist all shenanigans of the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.
“While commending the International Community for standing on the side of democracy in Nigeria, the PDP counsels President Buhari to further redeem his image by reining in his party members who are reportedly seeking to deploy the instrumentality of violence to frustrate the efforts for free, fair and credible elections in 2023.”