Peter Obi suggests how NASS should handle Buhari’s opposition to direct primaries

A former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has revealed that there is a possibility the National Assembly might override the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent to the enactment of direct primaries in the Electoral Amendment Bill.

Obi made this assertion on Tuesday during a live interview on AriseTV monitored by Ripples Nigeria.

The President, on Monday, transmitted a letter to the lawmakers explaining his reasons behind the opposition to the direct primaries system citing insecurity, vote-buying, and manipulation of the system by dishonest stakeholders.

However, the former Anambra Governor opined that this decision was made without due consultations with the citizenry which the NASS must rectify by visiting their various constituencies to understand the pulse of the people over the matter.

“What the NASS ought to do is to go back to the constituencies in order to get their opinion on the direct primary. If they are in support, the NASS should override the President.

“The lawmakers need to be in touch with the agitations of Nigerians in order to entrench a healthy democracy. Let us look at his reason for not signing and take it back to him. The NASS should appeal to the President and we have to manage everyone’s concerns,” Obi said.

Read also: Peter Obi alleges vote-buying in Anambra guber elections

He also criticised the proposal of the Federal Government over the removal of subsidies on petroleum products.

According to the former Vice-Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the FG needs to redress the scourge of unemployment in order to increase the number of taxable citizens, and boosting the economy in the process.

“If the subsidy is removed, the situation will worsen and more people will be plunged below the poverty line. This is why I reinforced a holistic taxation system but due to massive unemployment, the vibrant populace can’t pay the requisite taxes needed to boost the economy besides the evasion.

“This means Nigeria is getting taxes from a third of its taxable populace due to unemployment. If the country wants more taxes, more people have to be pulled from poverty.

“There are no government policies meant at alleviating the suffering of the people. For his last year in office, Buhari needs to tour the country and bring the citizens together for healing,” Obi said.

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