The Labour party in Nigeria has described Nigerian Governors as enemies of Nigerian democracy over their stance on the Direct mode of primaries which was recently passed by the National Assembly.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the governor’s position on the amendment of clause 87 in the new electoral act which allows direct primaries for electing candidates of political parties hasn’t been supportive so far.
Recall that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had threatened to challenge the Electoral Act in court if President Muhammadu Buhari goes ahead to sign the bill into law.
However, speaking in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party South-South, Felix Reuben called ‘on Nigerians to rise against the Governors’ who he accused of trying to frustrate the effort of the country to ensure transparent democracy.
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He said ‘We have seen the enemies of democracy, the cabal that is ready to destroy democracy in Nigeria, the governors that are ganging up today trying to frustrate what the national Assembly is proposing by asking President Muhammad Buhari, not to assent to the bill. I think they are the greatest enemy of democracy in Nigeria”.
‘Because they have planted their cabal, they have planted their surrogate; they have planted their boys to take over, they want to bring a goat to come and lead lions and we say no’.
Reuben also called on President Buhari to go ahead and sign the new electoral Act as passed by the National Assembly despite the pressures against it.
‘He should know that this is the biggest legacy he is going to bequeath to Nigerians. It is the cry of all Nigerians that democracy should be free and transparent’.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has opened up on why he made frantic efforts for direct primaries to be adopted as the only method through which political parties should elect candidates to stand for elections.
The Speaker explained that direct primaries would bring about more accountability and adequate representation as political office holders would not be restricted to pleasing a group of few people selected as delegates, but would work for the interest of the generality of their party members, and by extension, the electorate.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK