The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declared that it rejects contemplations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accommodate the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections in Rivers State.
The opposition party said its position is predicated on what it called an unacceptable suggestion by INEC, through its national commissioner and chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, that certain circumstances could lead to the postponement of election, in Rivers State, to accommodate the APC.
The APC does not have candidates in the forthcoming elections following the quashing of its congresses in the state by the Court.
Read Also:
However, according to a statement by the director, Media & Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), Kola Ologbondiyan, that suggestion by INEC is distasteful and only points to collusion with the APC in its plot to stalemate electoral processes in some strategic states to pave the way to postpone elections in such states.
Ologbondiyan added, “Currently, the APC is not on the ballot and has no candidates for the governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly elections in Rivers and Zamfara States following the voiding of the APC congresses in these states by the court.
“In line with this reality, the ballot paper in all elections in Rivers and Zamfara States must, under no circumstance, bear the logo of the APC.
The party, while charging the chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to be appropriately guided in the conduct of the general elections, said unlike the APC, it is fully prepared for the elections and will never allow the APC and some “INEC officials to manipulate the elections, just because the APC has seen that it has no chance of winning.”
The PDP further called on all Nigerians to unite in condemnation of this alleged scheme by the APC in its bid to foist itself back to power against their collective will as a people.
