…Urges PDP To Emulate Ruling Party On Zoning
Ijaw National leader and Chairman of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, Chief Edwin Clark has commended President Muhammad Buhari and the ruling All Progressive Congress for zoning the Presidency to the south.
He said the exercise was in line with equity and fair play, and also in tandem with the desire and aspiration of the Southern and Middle Belt leaders forum (SMBLF), a group made up of the South-East, South-South, South-West and the Middle Belt.
Chief Clark reiterated that that forum would only support any party that gives its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country in line with equity and fairness.
He said that it was pleasing to note that the aspiration of the group which have been reechoed repeatedly now resonates with the APC.
“I wish to commend Mr. President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and his political party, the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), for zoning their Presidential Ticket to the southern part of the country,” he stated.
He also called on the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, to toe the path of honour as expressly demonstrated by the ruling APC by ensuring that equity and fairness take precedence in their decision for zoning of the number one seat ti the proper zone.
“I wish to also use this medium to call on the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to be equally fair, and to listen to the yearnings and voice of equity and fair play by zoning its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country; while emphasising that our support will only go to a party that bequeaths fairness and equity.”
The nonagenarian however expressed reservation on President Buhari’s advice to the National Assembly to amend the section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Amendment Bill Act which was recently signed into law
“I wish to also thank our northern patriots who have also made statements in support of the south producing the president of the country, come 2023.”
“With respect to Mr. President’s advice to the National Assembly (NASS) on Section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act which he signed into Law on Friday, 25th February, 2022, I have my own reservation on Mr. President’s advice to NASS, and Nigerians as a whole,” he said.
He said, “Firstly, there is no provision in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which allows public servants to remain in office, while engaging in political activities.
Also, Article 31 (1) (iii) of the APC Constitution (October 2014 As Amended), states that; “Any Party office holder interested in contesting for an elective office (whether party office or office in a general election) shall resign and leave office 30 days prior to the date of nomination or Party primary for the Office he or she is seeking to contest.”
“Under public policy, it is inconsistent for a government appointee to remain in office, when he is contesting a political position. I have also observed that such public office holders normally give at least one month notice before entering into the political field in order to contest any position, whether as Counsellor in a Local Government Council or as President of the Country.”
“This moral and pristine practice has been overtaken recently by the system where law and order are no longer obeyed in Nigeria. Public servants now contest public offices, still holding/occupying their political appointments/offices, except in a situation where either the President or Governor asks such interested person to resign,” he explained.
“Now that the Electoral Law under Section 84 (12)states that: “No political appointee at any level shall be voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election,” all public office holders and appointees who have decided to contest elections or want to vote for any one contesting, shall resign 3 months before theelection processes commence.
“This is a legal and valid position, there is no Constitutional breach, and therefore, the call on Mr. President to NASS to review that the said Section 84 (12), is unnecessary, if we are serious that we want to sanitise our electoral system.”
The elder statesman further noted that, “The new Electoral Law is, indeed, in line with government policy and loyalty to the government; and not in some cases, where there could be conflict of audit interest between the personal expenses of such appointees when they begin to use government funds and properties such as vehicles, drivers, etc., in their possession, if Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act is amended to state otherwise.”
He added that, “Political Party Conventions and Congresses should be attended only by party’s card-carrying elected delegates from their various Wards, who are not political office holders or appointees, by the party members.”
“In any case, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is Constitutionally empowered by reason of Section 160 (1) which states that:“Subject to subsection (2) of this section, any of the bodies may, with the approval of the President, by rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure or confer powers and impose duties on any officer or authority for the purpose of discharging its functions, provided that in the case of the Independent National Electoral Commission, its powers to make its own rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure shall not be subject to the approval or control of the President”, to direct its affairs. Mr. President has no powers to delve into this matter. INEC has the prerogative to deal with the situation.”
He said that the Act was not designed to disenfranchise anybody but to checkmate impunity.