A former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Rivers State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Tonye Princewill has said that the National Assembly should have listened to the plea by President Muhammadu Buhari to delete section 84(12) of the electoral act.
Princewill said if the lawmakers had listened to the President, the decision of the Federal High Court nullifying the section would not have been necessary and would have saved the nation some level of embarrassment.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari was desirous of handing over to a man who will champion the rebirth of the Nigerian nation.
In a statement in Abuja, Princewill hailed the ruling of a Federal High Court which declared illegal Section 84(12) of the recently-passed Electoral Act which stops political appointees from participating in party conventions and congresses without first resigning their position.
He said if the National Assembly had listened to the Executive Arm, and delete the section, there would have been no need for anyone to go to court over the provision.’
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Princewill argued that the action of the lawmakers in inserting such provision in the Election Act was illegal, adding that instead of passing a law that contradicts the Constitution, the right thing to do would have been to listen to the voice of reason.
He said: “It is a very just outcome to a necessary process for the continued evolution of an institutional vehicle, like the APC. While others may have worried, I didn’t flinch.
“Moreso when the President spoke. He confirmed what I had long since suspected after the series of interviews he gave the media recently. He wants to hand over to a President who loves Nigeria and is willing to work hard for it. Because he is looking ahead to his legacy. All that starts with the convention.
“People would do well to listen. What we have seen with Soludo is the tip of the iceberg. A new strain of governance is coming.
“Two arms of government have spoken. If the third arm of government had simply harkened the first appeal, this second voice need not have been involved. People have rights enshrined under the constitution. Hardened criminals have rights. Why won’t politicians?
“If you want them to forfeit those rights, just make a constitutional amendment, instead of a bill that contradicts the same constitution you are sworn to uphold. It’s neater and the President would have signed it”