PDP gives reasons for boycotting rescheduled Jigawa LG elections

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State has given reasons why it will boycott the forthcoming Jigawa State Local Government Election billed for October 5th, 2024.

PDP chairman in Jigawa State Ali Diginsa in a statement indicated that the PDP as a party is not convinced that the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) will be fair and just in Conducting the election.

According to him, the chairman and members of the commission, are not only card-carrying members af the APC, but active and participatory members of the party in the state which clearly contravened the law establishing the commission.

“The hasty decision to conduct the election was made after a jittery anticipation of the scrapping of state electoral bodies,” Diginsa said.

“The cost of the nomination forms as announced by SIEC is not only exorbitant but extortive and senseless aimed at disenfranchising members of the opposition especially in veiw of the present excruciating economic hardship inflicted on the people by the APC.

“We believed that members of the APC and some small political parties (who will be stooged by the govt) will be given the forms free of charge.

“The estimated cost of what the PDP is supposed to pay is well over N709 million naira, if 10 political parties decided to buy the forms, SIEC will extort a Staggering N79 billion naira or more! This is far beyond their approved budget seing that SIEC is not a profit making venture.

“This act of disenfranchisement by the APC govt of Jigawa state. is a clear demonstration of their fear of the unavoidable reparisal from the people as result of the govt’s mediocrity and inept misrule in the past nine years.

“We have appealed to the government and the SIEC to subsidize the cost of the nomination forms and make it affordable for all regardless of party affiliations, but for the fear of an imminent embarrassing defeat, they decided to make the forms as unaffordable as they wished.”

He said N5m for the chairmanship position and N2m for counselorship position are on the high side.

Diginsa indicated that the APC was jittery and afraid of going into the election because they allegedly failed the Jigawa people by throwing them into abject poverty and hunger hence the reason they are making it difficult for opposition parties.

He called on the members of their great party to exercise a high degree of patience with the decision and be law abiding, as the time for general elections will surely come when the PDP will send the ruling Party, APC packing.