By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT: The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his complain that Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 would disenfranchise serving political office holders was selfish and not altruistic.

Wike said if President Buhari truly believes in transparent election and that everybody should have a level playing ground, he would not be suggesting the amendment of the section which he claims will disenfranchise serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party.

Wike spoke in Port Harcourt, Friday, while reacting to President Buhari’s assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri.

He noted that the President’s complain that Section 84 (12) is ultra vires with the 1999 Constitution as amended, is neither here nor there.

Wike said: “Mr President has told the world he is trying to protect some of his appointees who want to run election, and who are afraid of leaving office knowing fully well that having left the office it would be difficult for them to assert or to influence the outcome of party primaries.

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“If Mr President really believes in free, fair and transparent election, and for everybody to have a level playing ground, Mr President will not call for such amendment.”

Governor Wike observed that President Buhari was not willing to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, but had to succumb to pressure mounted on him by Nigerians. According to him, if the President had declined assent on the bill, the National Assembly would have been embarrassed and lost public confidence.

“For whatever it is worth, let us say Nigerians are happy that after all said and done, the President and the APC administration for the first time have bowed to pressure of Nigerians in order to have a law that enables our electoral process to be transparent. But again, this tells you the kind of party in power,” he said.

The Rivers State governor said the emotions and tensions created in the polity by President Buhari’s delay to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill was unnecessary, particularly when Nigerians and those whom he claim would be disenfranchised have not complained about provisions of the Bill.

Governor Wike said President Buhari should allow ministers, commissioners, specials advisers who feel the provision of the Electoral Act will adversely affect them to proceed to court and challenge it.

Vanguard News Nigeria