Electoral Act: Buhari Has Demonstrated He Wants Democracy To Thrive, Says Diri

Governor, Senator Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, on Thursday, said President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated he actually wants democracy to thrive in the country by signing the amended Electoral Act bill into law.

Diri stated this during the state executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, the state capital.

He stated that the days of ballot box snatching, rigging, political thuggery and violence were gone as the electoral law has made provisions on how modern elections should be conducted.

He advised politicians eyeing elective offices not to heat up the polity but rather quietly embark on consultation with their political leaders.

While acknowledging the right of appointees in his administration to aspire for elective positions, he restated his call on them to resign their positions or be sacked in order not to neglect their responsibilities and make governance suffer.

The governor stressed that the peace being experienced in the state should be sustained by all, adding that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would work together to ensure that those who are destined by God emerge as its flag bearers through primaries.

He thanked his cabinet members for their commitment in ensuring that government policies and programmes were realised, saying that their actions proved that their appointment was not a mistake.

The Bayelsa helmsman also thanked Bayelsans for their support for his administration as demonstrated during the recent second anniversary celebration.

He said: “I like to use today’s Executive Council meeting to acknowledge Mr President and thank him for signing the Electoral Act bill into law.

“That has been the bane of our democracy. Elections are the basis of having good governance, of selecting good leaders, and Mr President has demonstrated that he wants democracy to thrive in Nigeria by signing the bill.

“So, on behalf of the Deputy Governor and indeed Bayelsa State, we appreciate Mr President for assenting to that bill.

“If there is one gift that Mr President has given to Nigeria in his whole eight years, this is it.

“We are in a political year and the music has started. The drums are all on. Let me again advise all of us, both members of the state executive council and other appointees, that if you have political ambition, please put in your resignation.

“By the Act, ministers, commissioners or appointees that want to contest have to resign six months to the primaries. That is because you will be distracted if that is what you want to do and the office will suffer.

“If you want to occupy any of these offices, fair and good. Ambition is everybody’s right but do not let our work to suffer, and we will not be pushed to sack any member of cabinet who has worked very well for this government.