Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday held a meeting in Yenagoa, the capital city of Bayelsa State.
PDP governors, among other things discussed at the meeting, demanded that the National Assembly should revisit the issue of devolution of powers to the states and local governments in its current Constitution Review.
This is as the opposition party governors also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately assent to the revised Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law without further delay.
Bibian Anekwe News recalls that the president had earlier declined assent to the bill, citing concerns that the compulsory direct primary for political parties “violates the spirit of democracy”.
Sharing details of the Monday meeting via his verified Twitter handle, Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa listed eight (8) key points from the meeting as resolved by himself and other governors.
See below the major key points from the PDP Governor’s meeting in Yenagoa:
1. Mr. President must immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework;
2. INEC must immediately work to strengthen our electoral processes, following the outcome of #FCTDecides2022, where our great party won 43 out of the 62 Councillorship positions.
3. The federal government must bring the perpetrators that imported contaminated petrol and sold this petrol to the Nigerian people to justice.
4. The federal government must immediately investigate the fictitious figures of petrol consumption that has been ascribed to Nigerians.
5. The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to States and Local Governments.
6. That the Central Bank of Nigeria’s functions as processes must be streamlined to adhere to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
7. That there must be transparency and accountability in the remittances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission into the federation account; and
8. That the National Assembly should revisit the issue of devolution of powers to the states and local governments in its current Constitution Review exercise to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.
Meanwhile, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele is reportedly being wooed by some big wigs in the All Progressive Congress, APC to join the 2023 presidential race.
Bibian Anekwe News recalls that the economist was first appointed CBN Governor under the then Peoples Democratic Party, PDP administration led by Goodluck Jonathan.
Though the Delta State-born is said to be non-partisan till this moment, top members of the ruling party are reportedly making moves to draft him into the fold ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Emefiele’s second tenure as CBN Governor will lapse in 2024 and APC chieftains including some state governors are said to be seeking to get him to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
A source who confided in Daily Trust alleged that the CBN governor has received strong backing from a section of the Presidency and some APC governors to throw his hat in the ring.
Bibian Anekwe News
