Electoral bill: APC reaches out to Senate, Reps caucuses to resist PDP’s plot

•NWC meets Tuesday

In spite of its numerical strength in the National Assembly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not underestimating the threats by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of Electoral Amendment Bill 2018

The party is reaching out to the leaders and members of its caucuses in the Senate and House of Representatives to resist plot by the opposition.

The National Working Committee of APC will on Tuesday meet on the bill, reconciliation reports, and the 2019 poll campaign.

Investigation by our correspondent indicated that the PDP has been plotting how to ambush the APC to override the president’s veto in the two chambers.

But having got wind of the covert moves, APC caucuses have been trying to mobilise their members to attend sittings.

Some members of the APC caucuses have also put their travel plans on hold until the National Assembly proceeds on break for Christmas this week.

A top source said: “The APC leadership is keeping a tab on the development in the National Assembly on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018.

“It is already reaching out to the leaders and members of the caucuses in the two chambers to resist the plans to override the President’s veto.

“The party’s position is that the president gave cogent reasons for withholding his assent and we will stand by him to place national interest above personal consideration.

“The NWC will meet on Tuesday to review the development on the bill, reconciliation reports and strategies for 2019 poll campaign.”

When contacted the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Lanre Issa Onilu said: “The PDP cannot have the number to override the president’s veto because we are in the majority.

“The president has acted in national interest, we will ask our members in the National Assembly to resist any attempt by those who do not have good intention for this country to cause crisis with the Electoral Bill.

“We are not taking things for granted but I can tell you that since those destructive elements left APC, our party has been close-knitted and our members in the National Assembly more united.”

A ranking member of the House said: “The problem with PDP is how to secure the number to overrule Buhari. They can never get it because the bill affects all of us, especially those seeking re-election.

“We will use the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2014 put in place by the same PDP when it was in power. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, said the agency could work with the existing laws.”

On his part, a former Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume said the “Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 is now history.

“The PDP is kicking on everything because they see imminent failure in 2019 poll. We will not allow them to secure the number to override the president’s veto.”