We Have No Confidence In Inec – Pdp Declares

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, November 25, (THEWILL) – The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party has said that it has no confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vis a vis the Ondo State gubernatorial election..

Spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, stated this at a press conference in Abuja, on Friday, alleging that INEC was deliberately working against the interest of the PDP by refusing to postpone the elections after the Court of Appeal affirmed Eyitayo Jegede's candidacy on Thursday .

He also alleged that the commission also played what it described as a 'suspicious role' in frustrating its candidate from campaigning for the election adding that the electoral officers who allegedly rigged the election in Edo State were being deployed to Ondo to manipulate the polls.

Adeyeye re-echoed the sentiments earlier stated by Makarfi and the Chairman of the party in Ondo state, Clement Faboyede, who had earlier called for a postponement of the election to enable the PDP screen and select agents for the exercise.

Faboyede told reporters in Akure that the electoral law says political parties must submit names of their agents seven days to the Election Day, and gave INEC 30 days to the election to give political parties the voter register list.

He added that for INEC to conduct the election, the poll should be extended by 30 days to allow PDP receive its voter register and submit names of its agents.

He said if INEC could postpone the Edo State governorship poll “over an invisible security threat, Ondo State election ought to be shifted because they are visible issues”.

“As I'm addressing you now, the INEC is yet to take the list of the party agents from the party. The one earlier submitted has been declared illegal because the imposed executives led by Biyi Poroye have been declared illegal by court,” he said.

“Hence all actions carried out by this executive is illegal and what is happening now is the handiwork of INEC by obeying the wrong order of justice Abang which the appellate court described as judicial abuse and rascality.

“We are calling on INEC that PDP in Ondo State has not submitted a list of its party agents.”

Responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed the allegations, saying that the fears expressed by the PDP were unfounded as the electoral officers being deployed to Ondo have no tainted records.

“In our guideline there is no limit the number of time someone can be used,” he said.

“The only thing we can look into if people come out with evidence that the man compromised. You can't question our choice of returning officer. That is our own internal affairs.

Similarly, INEC Deputy Director, Nick Dazang, said the commission would only be working with a list of agents nominated by parties, stressing that it is not in INEC's place to determine the loyalty of such agents.

“Section 45 of the Electoral Act stipulates that it is the party that shall nominate agents and forward their names and photographs to the commission two weeks before an election. Besides, going by the timetable for this election which was issued six months ago, the notice for the election was served three months,” he said.

“Given the above, it is not INEC's remit to determine the loyalty of the agents submitted by a party.”

Story by Oputah David