Don’t Succumb to Pressure to Manipulate 2019 Polls, PDP Warns INEC Boss

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Chairman,
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood
Yakubu, not to succumb to pressure to manipulate the electoral
process in 2019, following his alleged secret meeting with the
Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, at the
Presidential Villa last Friday.

The main opposition party said that the polity is already tensed
over INEC’s listing of President Muhammadu Buhari for election
despite his failure to present the constitutionally required
academic credentials like other candidates.

This development, the party said, casts a dark shadow on the
credibility of INEC to conduct a transparent election.

The opposition party, in a statement on Sunday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians are
aware that by Buhari’s declaration in an affidavit, that his said
certificates are with the military, his nomination documentation is
therefore constitutionally incomplete, making him ineligibile to
contest the 2019 presidential election.

He stated: “By failing to write to the military authorities to
release his claimed certificates, Mr. President leaves Nigerians
with no option than to hold that he does not have the credentials
and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not provide that
affidavits can be used as a substitute for any candidate’s
credentials.

“Moreover, Mr. President’s affidavit also shows that he did not
submit any certificate in 2015, making his candidacy for that
election improper and defective under our laws.

“The PDP cautions the Chairman not to succumb to pressure to
manipulate the electoral process for President Buhari as such could
cause serious crisis capable of disarticulating our nation.

“PDP’s fresh caution to INEC Chairman is predicated on an
alleged secret meeting he held with President Buhari’s Chief of
Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, at the Presidential villa last
Friday.”

The PDP said now that Nigerians have rejected President Buhari’s
affidavit and insisted on his certificates, the All Progressives
Congress (APC) is left with no option than to accept its
self-inflicted misfortune.

“Meanwhile, we are not unaware of the anxiety and apprehension
in the APC but such is the price of being stuck with bad
merchandise,” APC said.

The party also warned Buhari not to allow his personal ambition
to push the nation into chaos.

The PDP cautioned Buhari’s handlers, who it said are desperate
to force him on an unwilling nation, that they are fast pushing the
nation to the brink and should be checked before it is too
late.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, declined comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, the INEC National Commissioner on Information and
Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, said he has been away from
office since last Tuesday but promised to respond to the issue on
Monday when he comes back.