Electoral Act will guarantee credible elections in 2023 ― PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari will guarantee free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2023.

Buhari had earlier on Friday assented to the Bill at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

However, the PDP, while reacting to the development via a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the signing of the Bill will give room for credible elections in the country.

The main opposition party, however, “congratulates Nigerians, particularly Civil Society Organizations for fighting on the side of the PDP in putting pressure on President Buhari to finally assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill”.

PDP, while reiterating that the Bill provides for the electronic transmission of election results directly from the polling units, said: “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 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.”

The opposition party, therefore, commended the “International Community for standing on the side of democracy in Nigeria”.

TheStar