Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina has submitted that signing the electoral amendment bill or not will not change the reputation already built by President Muhammadu Buhari as a democrat.
The spokesperson argued that Buhari has already etched his name in the sands of time as a leader with the highest regard for democratic values.
Adesina spoke on Monday amidst the agitations been generated by the content of the electoral bill forwarded for the President’s assent by the National Assembly.
It has been reported that two major amendments been proposed in the bill by the National Assembly is the compulsory use of direct primaries by political parties to choose candidates for election as well as the provision to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically or decide otherwise.
While the President has 30 days to consider the bill before taking any decision, speculations are rife that he may eventually reject the bill.
However, speaking on the matter, Adesina during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, said whether his principal signs the bill or not, his reputation as a true democrat is secured.
“In terms of his image for democratic value, that image is made already. It is almost cast in concrete. You will find that one election after the other has been better under President Buhari,” he said.
“Under President Buhari, the governing party has lost — states, legislative seats, and so many elections.
It didn’t use to be. It used to be that whichever party was in power won all elections before by hook or crook; not under President Buhari.
So, his reputation as somebody who wants to leave clean elections for Nigeria has already been made whether the electoral act is signed or not. It doesn’t distract from that reputation.”
