Ndubuisi Orji,  Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to sign the Electoral Act Amendment law passed recently by the National Assembly, because he is jittery over the amendment to the Electoral Act.

The PDP, in a statement  by its National Publicity Secretary,  Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were apprehensive over the new electoral act,  as it would check manipulations in the 2019 general elections.

The opposition party said the president knew that he had failed Nigerians in his first term, hence, he was reluctant to sign the amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act.

“The amendment bill, which is in the overall interest of the nation, embattles President Buhari, because it eliminates openings for major malpractices, including the use of underaged and alien voters, vote buying, alteration of results and manipulation of voter register, which the APC intends to use to rig the 2019 elections.

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“Such provisions include granting INEC powers to utilise full biometrics accreditation of voters with smart card readers and other technological devices, which the Buhari Presidency and APC know will effectively check their reliance on dead, underaged and alien voters, which they intend to use, particularly during the presidential election. The amendment bill also provides for instant transmission of results from polling to collation centres, which ensures real-time results and reduces human interferences and election malpractices, thus, effectively checking the alteration of results by the APC.

“Furthermore, the presidency and APC are against the provision that makes it mandatory for INEC to publish voters register online, and as such, end their usual manipulation of voter register ahead of elections.

“The Presidency and APC are also opposing the amendment bill, because of a provision which restricts arbitrary qualifications for candidates and encourages younger aspirants, as they fear that such can jeopardise President Buhari’s chance within the APC,” the PDP said.