BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has said that the party’s lack of confidence in the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is even getting deeper and has not changed.
Secondus, who stated the position of the PDP on Wednesday when he received a delegation of the European Union Election Exploration Mission to Nigeria led by Niclay Paus, said that intelligence available to the party shows that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has concluded arrangement with INEC to manipulate the electoral process.
A statement by media office of the PDP National Chairman quoted Prince Secondus as having said that what happened at the governorship election in Osun state merely underscored the party’s fears that INEC is not ready to be neutral.
Secondus said that even though the main agent of the APC in the Commission, who is a relation of the President, Amina Zakari was deployed from operations department, the PDP wants her total resignation as she is capable of influencing others within the electoral body.
In the words of Secondus; “When we eschewed violence after the electoral theft in Osun state and decided to excise our right to peaceful protest, the Inspector General of Police directed his personnel to tear gas us notwithstanding the personalities involved in the protest, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, five state governors and National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and other critical leaders.
“Our fear is strong that the APC and the administration are not disposing themselves for a peaceful 2019 general election and we base our position on the multiplicity of induced crisis across the country
“With all the unprecedented bloodletting in the country, the President is not engaging the people and a select group operating as cabals have hijacked the system.”
The PDP boss therefore urged international partners of Nigeria especially the European Union (EU) and America to bring their influence to bear on the INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
Secondus also called on the EU and other members of the internal community to show more than passing interests in the activities of security agencies particularly the Police, stressing that a bias Police force is an easy way to encouraging violence.
