Decision Of The APC-Led Senate Shocking, It Undermines Our Electoral Process — PDP

Says APC Senators Preparing Grounds For Mass Vote
Rigging

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock over the
decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to,
according to the party, undermine the electoral process by refusing
to approve the demand by Nigerians across the board for electronic
transmission of election results without conditionalities.

It viewed the idea of routing the decision on electronic
transmission of results on the Nigeria Communication Commission
(NCC) as a violation of the constitution, saying that the APC
Senators are preparing grounds for the massive rigging of
elections.

The party stated this position in a statement issued by Kola
Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, in response to the
amendment on the Electoral Act passed by the Senate on
Thursday.

The statement said: “The action of the APC senators is an
atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up
to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner
that will engender free, fair and credible process.

“It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their
desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent
commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the
Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive
control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature,
before conducting elections.

“This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in
its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as
amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC
to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from
any other agency of government.

“The decision of the APC Senators therefore amounts to a
suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which is a recipe
for crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilise our
nation.

“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of
elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly
resisted.

“Our party, standing with Nigerians, however commends the PDP
senators as well as other democratically minded senators in the
chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic
transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of
Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election.”

The PDP, however, noted the efforts being made in the House of
Representatives and urged lawmakers to return to the chamber
tomorrow and save the nation “from the machination of the APC as
being pushed in the Senate.”

Says APC Senators Preparing Grounds For Mass Vote
Rigging

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock over the
decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to,
according to the party, undermine the electoral process by refusing
to approve the demand by Nigerians across the board for electronic
transmission of election results without conditionalities.

It viewed the idea of routing the decision on electronic
transmission of results on the Nigeria Communication Commission
(NCC) as a violation of the constitution, saying that the APC
Senators are preparing grounds for the massive rigging of
elections.

The party stated this position in a statement issued by Kola
Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, in response to the
amendment on the Electoral Act passed by the Senate on
Thursday.

The statement said: “The action of the APC senators is an
atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up
to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner
that will engender free, fair and credible process.

“It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their
desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent
commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the
Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive
control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature,
before conducting elections.

“This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in
its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as
amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC
to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from
any other agency of government.

“The decision of the APC Senators therefore amounts to a
suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which is a recipe
for crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilise our
nation.

“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of
elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly
resisted.

“Our party, standing with Nigerians, however commends the PDP
senators as well as other democratically minded senators in the
chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic
transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of
Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election.”

The PDP, however, noted the efforts being made in the House of
Representatives and urged lawmakers to return to the chamber
tomorrow and save the nation “from the machination of the APC as
being pushed in the Senate.”