Politics
PDP TO BUHARI: Your N242bn funding request a threat to 2019 elections
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday condemned the presidency’s request for N242 billion to conduct the 2019 elections from the 2018 budget, saying it posed a serious threat to the elections.
This was contained in a statement by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja.
It said President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to the National Assembly to vire funds already allocated to other issues in 2018 budget could frustrate the conduct of the elections.
The party said that the request was capable of causing disagreements in the polity, creating confusion in the electoral system and setting the stage for a political crisis capable of frustrating the elections.
It said that the request was not consistent with constitutional provisions and extant rules guiding legislative virement of funds already meant for constituency development projects.
Read also: Buhari wants Senate to approve N164bn for 2019 elections
The party advised that President Buhari should instead send “a fresh supplementary budget to the National Assembly for whatever amount he seeks for INEC instead of seeking for a controversial virement.”
It said that Nigerians were eager to have the 2019 general elections and would not accept anything that would constitute a threat to it.
“We therefore urge the President to follow the rules and submit a fresh supplementary budget or seek other legitimate ways and means, devoid of bottlenecks, to finance the elections.
“Nothing must stop the 2019 general elections and the process must be credible, free and fair,’’ it stated.
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