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PDP blames INEC for woes, alleges compromise

By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
17 January 2017   |   2:10 am
The South-South Zonal Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its travails, alleging that the polls umpire compromised.
INEC

INEC

Commission dismisses allegation, says party drowning
The South-South Zonal Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its travails, alleging that the polls umpire compromised. It, therefore, called for structural changes to avoid violence during the 2019 general elections.

The zonal chairman, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, who made the allegation yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, said the party had begun reconciliatory moves, warning that it would resist any form of manipulation at the 2019 polls.

In a swift reaction, the INEC Assistant Public Affairs Officer in the state, Abel Adesina, described the allegation as baseless, insisting that that the commission remains independent in the true sense of the word.

He went on: “I think PDP is drowning and their members are coming with all forms of allegations. They should put their house in order and stop the blame game. We do not have business with any political party per say, rather we are a body responsible for conducting elections. So, PDP’s allegations are tissues of lies.”

Ogidi regretted the leadership crisis that befell the party at the national level, claiming that the zone had remained impregnable despite attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the PDP.

But the state APC chairman, Prophet Jones Erue, said the PDP should blame itself for all it had undergone.

“PDP is the cause of what problem it is currently facing. It ruled for 16 years with nothing to show. The party members know their problems and they should count APC out of their woes,” he added.

Also, the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party Alliances for Good Governance (DSPAGG) faulted the redeployment of Justice Okon Abang to the Asaba Division of the Federal High Court, describing the judge as a stooge of the APC.

In a statement in Asaba by its chairman, Fredrick Ikechukwu, the group said: “It is our genuine fear that should the posting of Justice Okon Abang stay, strange things will begin to happen in the area of judicial dispensation.”

But Erue termed the remarks as inciting, saying the allegations besides being unfounded, were capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

“We are not connected to Justice Okon Abang. So, PDP should stop formulating lies,” he maintained.

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