Inconclusive polls: PDP accuses INEC of partisanship
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of partisanship.
The party described as unacceptable, the decision of the commission to declare as inconclusive, elections in states where its candidates were in clear lead.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press conference yesterday also accused the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by declaring governorship elections in states where the PDP was leading inconclusive.
Ologbondiyan stated that INEC, under Prof. Yakubu surrendered its independence to the APC.
According to him, intelligence available to the PDP showed that INEC was given instructions by the presidency to declare governorship elections in Sokoto, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau inconclusive, immediately it becomes obvious that the PDP was set to win.
“This also informs the foisting of unexplainable stoppage and delays in the announcement of already collated results in other states where the PDP is clearly leading the race, from the results so far declared at the polling units.
“Our party has also been informed of how INEC is now seeking ways to use the situation to aid the APC to alter the results and announce APC candidates as winners in the elections clearly led by the PDP just as it did in the 2018 Osun State governorship election,” Ologbondiyan added.
He noted in some of the states like Rivers, the PDP has information of plots by APC to leverage on the declaration by INEC to unleash more violence in the state and push for isolated election where they could bring in more security forces to concentrate on forcefully taking over the state.
He added that INEC was under pressure to post out and replace the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) as well as the Administrative Secretary.
Ologbondiyan said such move was unacceptable, provocative and would resisted by the people, noting that results of all the state assembly elections in Rivers State have been declared and winners had emerged
“The PDP cautions Prof. Yakubu and his INEC to perish the thoughts of altering any figures for the APC and to immediately announce our winning results in these states and others where our candidates clearly won, going by the results already declared at the poling units, wards and local government collation. Anything short of this will attract the legitimate wrath of the people.
“This is because Nigerians are already aware that elections have been concluded in these states; results have been collated and declared at the polling units, ward and local government collation centers and all returning officers and political parties conclusively have the figures,” he stated.
He urged PDP members and lovers of democracy to march to INEC offices and use all legitimate means to protect the party’s mandate as freely given by the people at the polling units across the nation.
