Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

PDP to boycott Edo council poll, accuses EDSIEC of partisanship

By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu and Michael Egbejule, Benin City
30 January 2018   |   2:34 am
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the party would boycott the local council poll following a case it instituted against the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) over election matters.

PDP Flag

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the party would boycott the local council poll following a case it instituted against the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) over election matters.

State Chairman of the party, Dan Orbih made this known yesterday at the party’s rally tagged: Meet The People Tour in Igarra and Auchi, headquarters of Akoko-Edo and Etsako West local councils of the state.

Orbih said the reason for boycotting the council election was because EDSIEC did not comply with the relevant sections of the constitution on electoral matters and as such the PDP has gone to court to challenge the process of the electoral law as amended by the EDHA.

He questioned the membership composition of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), alleging that registered members of some political parties were officers of the electoral body.He also alleged that the EDSIEC, headed by Prof. Stanley Orobator, has concluded plans to announce the election results before the actual conduct of the election scheduled for Saturday, March 3, 2018.

Orbih noted that until the state government complies with the relevant provisions of the Nigerian constitution, the PDP would not participate in what he described as an “illegal process” leading to the conduct of the council election.He said: “What we have in Edo State is that EDSIEC is not dependable, reliable and is not competent to conduct any election in the state.”

While lamenting the incessant attacks and killings of Akoko-Edo indigenes by suspected herdsmen, he urged the people to keep faith with the party by encouraging and mobilising its members and supporters to get registered in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) to enable them vote and bring about positive changes in the country.

He sympathised with families and victims of herdsmen attacks in Akoko-Edo Local Council, saying the state government has failed the people in the area of security by giving herdsmen a strong presence in the state.

Also, a former governorship candidate in the state, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has urged members of the party who are interested in contesting positions in the local council election to wait for the outcome of the court process instituted by the PDP to challenge the conduct of the council poll.

Meanwhile, the Edo House of Assembly yesterday lifted the suspension of the impeached former deputy Speaker and representative of Uhumwode constituency, Elizabeth Ativie.

The resolution to lift her suspension followed the recommendation of an ad-hoc committee, headed by the deputy speaker and representative of Esan Central constituency, Victor Edoror. Edoror moved the motion at the committee of the whole, after representative of Ovia North-East constituency, Bright Osayande, seconded it.

In this article

0 Comments