S’west PDP leaders urge N’assembly to review electoral bill
Buhari, others eulogise David-west at commendation service in Ibadan
Aby the growing irregularities marring the electoral process in the country, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the South West have asked the National Assembly to revisit the electoral bill.
The 8th National Assembly under Senator Bukola Saraki had proposed an Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which was vetoed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The leaders, however, renewed calls for a review of the bill in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the South West PDP stakeholders in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday. Prominent among the lead
PMuhammadu Buhari yesterday eulogised former Minister of Petroleum Resources, the late Prof. Tam David-west, as his burial commendation service began in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said during the commendation service at the Chapel of Resurrection, University of Ibadan (UI), that the late professor had a special relationship with Buhari right ers at the meeting included the Vice Chairman of the PDP, North West, Senator Ibrahim Kazaure; PDP National Vice Chairman, South West, Dr. Eddy Olafeso; PDP chieftain, Dr. Doyin Okupe; and former aviation minister, Chief Femi FaniKayode.
Others include Chief of Staff to the Oyo State government, Chief Bisi Ilaka; PDP Deputy National Chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi; Ladi Adebutu, Sikirulai Ogundele among others.
While making case for the review of the electoral bill, the party said the bill must be signed, for results to be transmitted electronically.
It condemned the alleged use of security agencies in untoward manners to comfrom the time he served as the petroleum minister in 1984.
According to him, Buhari and David-west had a lot of things in common, such as integrity, incorruptibility and accountability.
Adesina noted that DavidWest was committed to getting President Buhari back to power.
“When the Buhari regime was overthrown, he started a crusade to get Buhari back to power as a democraticallyelected leader,” he said, pointing out that Davidpromise election results in favour of the ruling party, especially during the last elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
“We demand an urgent revisit of the electoral bill by the National Assembly, particularly the bill passed by the 8th Assembly and curiously vetoed by the president. This bill represents an immediate panacea to the crisis and debacle elections have since become in our nation.
“It is a shame that the legacy of respect for the electoral desires of the people the PDP bequeathed to President Buhari has been destroyed to the extent that Nigerian elections no longer command respect in the comity of nations nor generate
West, through his writing in November 2018 still defended the president against the tag of religious bigotry.
“Prof. David-west was very close to us. He knew me through my writings. He was such a man who was passionate about everything he believed in,” Buhari added.
In his remarks, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State described the deceased as a courageous nationalist and freedom fighter, who believed in the cause of the country.
He described David-west as legitimacy at home,” the party stated.
PDP condemned the gruesome murder of its women leader, Mrs. Salome Acheju, during the Kogi polls.
Demanding that justice be served in the case, the party added: “Only such firm action will prevent the state from becoming a labyrinth of violence in the nation.” It also raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the presidency to upturn the victory of the Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
“We wish to reemphasise and place firmly in public view that the PDP roundly defeated the APC in Oyo during the last governorship election, winning in 28 councils while APC won in only five.” a democrat, an idealist and a principled man who did not tolerate corruption and always spoke his mind.
In his sermon tagged ‘Finishing Strong’, pastor of the chapel, Dr. Olufikayo Oyelade, maintained that the late minister did not only finish well, but also finished strong.
According to him, DavidWest played a notable and important role on the life of UI and Nigeria at large, adding that he was brilliant, bold and courageous during his lifetime.