…assert INEC, 18 parties to spend N20bn on direct primaries

By Gabriel Ewepu

Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Tuesday, tackled Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on alleged comments made on President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

They described the alleged comments of the Malami as sad and shameful.

The statement signed by the Executive Director, Adopt A Goal Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, on behalf of other CSOs and made available to Vanguard reads in part, “We consider it a public service to respond to the disingenuous claims and mischievous reasons for the executive veto of the amended electoral bill made by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

“It is sad and shameful that our country has been brought this low to warrant an individual to use the exalted office of the AGF to propagate outright falsehood and undermine national interest.

“As concerned CSOs, we are throwing up a challenge to the AGF that it would cost both INEC and the 18 political parties less than 20 billion to organise direct primaries if it becomes the law.

“We demand an open debate with the AGF either directly or through his representatives on this subject matter.

“The statement credited to Malami in the phone-in programme on Radio Kano may have exposed him as the author and propagandist behind the phantom N500 billion costs of organising direct primaries.

“We ask, is the AGF pandering to the interest of a few governors on the direct primaries so that they can allow his “consultants” to have their way on the controversial $418m Paris Club refund?

“We would instead advise Malami to have a change of heart and ensure that the country is not defrauded through overinflated fees.”

The statement further reads, “On the issue of security concern cited by the President, which was likely based on the AGF’s advisory, we want to alert Nigerians to the danger and contrivance of using the country’s inability to conduct direct primaries in 8809 (direct primaries) to justify why elections cannot hold in 176,846 polling units in 2023.

“Bear in mind that the security situation in the country is likely to worsen ahead of the general elections.

“Mr Malami who has repeatedly shown a high degree of myopism pursuing narrow interests in the discharge of his responsibility, can no longer be trusted to speak for the generality of Nigerians.”

The statement also added that, “Let it be on record that the AGF is doing the President a serious disservice pretending that Gen. Buhari does not care about legacy and would not be judged by posterity and history.”