The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, accused the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plot to alter the newly enacted Electoral Act.
PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said it had uncovered plots by the government to ‘orchestrate’ an amendment to the Electoral Act, so to introduce new clause that would allegedly compromise the 2023 polls.
The opposition party claimed the ploy is to create an avenue for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter the timetable for the 2023 general election. It claimed APC wants the election timetable pushed forward because the ruling party is running behind schedule.
“The APC, having realised it is running out of time and cannot meet up with the already released electoral timetable now seeks to frustrate and derail the ongoing electoral process.
“The PDP has it on good authority that the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency has perfected plots to use the APC leadership in the National Assembly to orchestrate an amendment to the Electoral Act to create opening for INEC to alter its already released 2023 election timetable and schedule of activities to accommodate the APC.
“Our party has information about how the APC has been mounting pressure on INEC to push forward the already scheduled dates for the 2023 general election.
“The PDP vehemently rejects this plot by the APC which amounts to shifting the goal post in the middle of the game and cautions INEC to resist such heinous design against our democracy.
“The election timetable has already been released, political parties have commenced processes, Nigerians have since set their minds on the election dates to vote out the APC and there is no going back on that resolve.
“The PDP, therefore, cautions the Buhari presidency and the APC leadership in the National Assembly to note that any attempt to alter the timetable is an invitation to serious political crisis in the country as Nigerians will firmly resist them.”
The party called on its members in the National Assembly to be vigilant and firmly resist the alleged plot to alter the Electoral Act. Similarly, it charged all lovers of democracy; the civil society, the media, organised labour and the international community to stand against alleged attempts to derail the democratic process.
Meanwhile, the PDP has extended deadline for the sale of nomination forms from April 1 to April 8.
