The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The party also said President Muhammadu Buhari’s call for extra-judicial killings of violators of the electoral law was a violation of his oath of office.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, at a press conference, said the APC was doing everything humanly possible to discredit INEC, remove the chairman and stall the process conscious of the fact that they could not win this election.
Dogora denied the allegation by the APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole that the PDP was given prior notice of the postponement of last Saturday’s elections.
He alleged that INEC was under pressure by top government officials and APC leaders to go ahead with the elections despite not being adequately prepared for the election.
“We are also aware the APC wanted the INEC chairman to conduct elections in some states and postpone in other states so as to have staggered elections.
“It should also be noted that the areas that would have been affected by inadequate delivery of materials were PDP strongholds,” Dogara said.
He wondered why Oshiomhole could accuse PDP of colluding with INEC to abort last week’s elections considering the fact that the Federal government controls every institution and agency involved in the electoral process.
“From our position, we strongly believe that the deliberate delivery of election materials to the wrong electoral centres, cancellation of flights, and other actions that undermined the logistics arrangement of INEC were deliberately done to sabotage and manipulate the process.
“It is important to note that the APC in its usual manipulative style is now shifting the blame on INEC leadership while absolving itself and the other institutions of government under its control of any blame. That is the common strategy that supervillains always employ,” he added.
The Speaker noted that this was the first time that a ruling party would play victim, which, he said, was a clear indication that they have lost the plot.
“Evidently, their recent actions and statements clearly show they are panicking and desperate to cling onto power, even when the people have rejected them.
The Speaker deplored President Buhari’s call for extra-judicial killings considering the fact that there are adequate provisions in Nigeria’s laws to address electoral offenses.
He recalled that PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, was the first to call for an inquiry into why the elections were postponed.
“In reality, we support a genuine and transparent probe into why the presidential and National Assembly elections could not hold.
“We also hope that the president’s inflammatory statement is not a threat aimed at intimidating the electoral commission.
“In view of this statement by the president, it is obvious that the military has been given a central role and co-opted into the conduct of the election despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process.
“These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a full blown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of land which by his oath of office he is to defend and protect,” he added.
Why is the PDP talking from both sides of its mouth? Didn’t the PDP ask for the INEC Chairman’s resignation? This party clearly doesn’t know what it wants.