How PDP wants to rig 2019 elections – Lauretta Onochie

Happy with President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the 2018 electoral bill, purportedly awash with loopholes, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, Social media aide to Buhari, Sunday alleged that the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other PDP stakeholders had plotted to use the electoral bill if signed to rig the forthcoming 2019 elections.

She argued that the senate headed by Dr Bukola Saraki of PDP, intentionally replaced ‘Counting and Announcing’ with only ‘Announcing’, in the new electoral bill, and noted that such smart move would only endanger the country’s democracy.

According to her, why would counting be omitted in the election process? Electoral umpires can announce any figure to favour whoever pays them well, she said.

Recall that Buhari had given reasons why he declined assent to the bill. According to him, (Buhari),“I am declining assent to the bill principally because I am concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections which commenced under the 2015 electoral act, could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.


“Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.

“This leads me to believe that it is in the best interest of the country and our democracy for the national assembly to specifically state in the bill that the electoral act will come into effect and be applicable to elections commencing after the 2019 elections.

In view of the above reason therefore, Lauretta Onochie via her facebook handle opined;

THE PDP RIGGING PLAN

Pres. Buhari came to governance through the popular will of the people of Nigeria who used the Card Reader to put a stop to his years of winning Presidential elections and never announced winner.

He loves the Card reader. We love the Card Reader.

What they did was to cleverly replace “COUNT & ANNOUNCE”, with only “ANNOUNCE” in the new electoral bill amendment which portends grave danger for the progress our electoral process made in 2015.

 It means COUNTING of our votes will no longer be necessary in 2019. Electoral umpires could announce any figure to favour whoever pays them well.

They also want political parties to have the ability to merge 21 days to the election instead of the Current 90 days. It’s a recipe for disaster.

 It’s disgraceful that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is pushing for our President Buhari to sign the flawed document that would ensure our disenfranchisement, and then enthrone manipulation of number of votes or in one word, RIGGING.

 But Pres. Buhari will always protect the interests of Nigerians

It’s unfair to Nigerians that the goal posts are being shifted in the dying minutes of a match.

Thank you great President and Vice President too, the defenders of our nation, for spotting the pitfalls.

God Bless Nigeria

Lauretta Onochie

@Laurestar

AGAIN, to cleverly replace “COUNT & ANNOUNCE”, with only “ANNOUNCE” portends grave danger for the progress our electoral process made in 2015.

It means COUNTING of our votes will not be necessary in 2019.
It’s disgraceful that Atiku Abubakar is pushing for our disenfranchisement pic.twitter.com/ok5aAycskU

— Lauretta Onochie (@Laurestar) December 8, 2018

POVERTY ALLEVIATION Continues:
Vice Presido @ProfOsinbajo takes #TraderMoni to Ipata Market, Kwara State.
We must CONTINUE to support Nigerian traders to have a better standard of living.

BUT greedy and self-centered Dr. Bukola Saraki, says “Give me & friends too or scrap it!” pic.twitter.com/Nl46NZLkHz

— Lauretta Onochie (@Laurestar) December 8, 2018