Reconvene NASS now, electoral bill alive, APC tells PDP, Saraki

The ruling ALL Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of attempting to hide under the yet-to-be assented Electoral Act Amendment Bill to draw attention away from the “treasonable actions” of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, who it said has refused to convene the National Assembly to consider at plenary, the crucial 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
 
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the party in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said: “The Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly is alive and awaiting assent.

“However, assent to Bills in all democratic governments reflects the prudence and discretion of the President in balancing the powers of key constitutional bodies and understanding the concerns of the executive. 
 
“While we strongly condemn the abuse of office by the Senate President, backed by his PDP cohorts, in sabotaging the executive, specifically INEC, all well-meaning Nigerians have a duty to speak up and ensure that the National Assembly performs its constitutional role and not serve an individual’s personal interest and sinister ends of the opposition PDP.”
 
It added: “We call on all Nigerians, civil society and indeed the international community to resist the ongoing travesty and legislative rascality being perpetuated by the Senate President and the PDP.

“The sanctity of our electoral system is being threatened by this orchestrated sabotage and deliberate attempt to weaken INEC, as we prepare for General Elections in 2019. The National Assembly must be convened immediately.
 
“The PDP has realised that next year’s elections have been won and lost and if the election is held today, it is clear that the APC would win by a landslide, judging by visible and landmark achievements recorded by the Buhari administration. “This is an apparent fact that gives the PDP sleepless nights, hence its daily lies and propaganda in its desperate, failed and early campaign to attract non-existent votes.”