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The opposition in Nigeria under the aegis of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday advised President Goodluck Jonathan to drop the idea of setting up a facebook account as his contribution to the debate for electoral reform.
CNPP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said the President should rather submit the three bills based on the recommendation of Justice Muhammed Uwais report on electoral reform to the National Assembly for adoption.
The CNPP expressed regret that the President was “either out of touch with the diversionary tactics, contempt and scant commitment of the National Assembly as per genuine electoral reform or was in an unholy alliance with the National Assembly to dump the Uwais Report”.
It lamented that the National Assembly placed inconsequential issues like educational qualification of candidates above core recommendations of the Uwais report like insulation of the president from single handedly appointing INEC chairman and key officers.
The rational commitment expected from Jonathan, according to the CNPP, was to mobilize forthwith the over 800 out of 990 members of states Houses of Assembly nationwide, over 260 out of 360 members of the House of Representatives and over 90 out of 109 Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he leads, to alter the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution and 2006 Electoral Act in accordance with the Uwais Report, “instead of wittingly embarking on Facebook voyage of discovery”.
According to the CNPP: “Time is of the essence, especially when genuine electoral reform is the most precious legacy President Jonathan can earnestly bequeath to Nigerians and which cannot be achieved through Facebook Account.
“The Uwais report is an article of faith and guiding principle in any attempt to construct a truly Independent National Electoral Commission”.
The opposition in Nigeria under the aegis of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday advised President Goodluck Jonathan to drop the idea of setting up a facebook account as his contribution to the debate for electoral reform.
CNPP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said the President should rather submit the three bills based on the recommendation of Justice Muhammed Uwais report on electoral reform to the National Assembly for adoption.
The CNPP expressed regret that the President was “either out of touch with the diversionary tactics, contempt and scant commitment of the National Assembly as per genuine electoral reform or was in an unholy alliance with the National Assembly to dump the Uwais Report”.
It lamented that the National Assembly placed inconsequential issues like educational qualification of candidates above core recommendations of the Uwais report like insulation of the president from single handedly appointing INEC chairman and key officers.
The rational commitment expected from Jonathan, according to the CNPP, was to mobilize forthwith the over 800 out of 990 members of states Houses of Assembly nationwide, over 260 out of 360 members of the House of Representatives and over 90 out of 109 Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he leads, to alter the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution and 2006 Electoral Act in accordance with the Uwais Report, “instead of wittingly embarking on Facebook voyage of discovery”.
According to the CNPP: “Time is of the essence, especially when genuine electoral reform is the most precious legacy President Jonathan can earnestly bequeath to Nigerians and which cannot be achieved through Facebook Account.
“The Uwais report is an article of faith and guiding principle in any attempt to construct a truly Independent National Electoral Commission”.
