PDP passes no confidence vote on INEC

To Sanction Sheriff, Others

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a no confidence vote on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). And it has expressed disappointment about the “suspicious role” the commission played in frustrating its candidate in the Ondo State governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, from campaigning for the election.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, spokesman of the party, Dayo Adeyeye, alleged that INEC was deliberately working against the interest of the PDP by putting the name of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim as its candidate in the first place and later refusing to honour PDP’s request for a postponement of the election after the Court of Appeal had affirmed Jegede’s candidacy on Thursday.

The PDP also alleged that those electoral officers who rigged the election in Edo State were being deployed to Ondo to manipulate the poll.INEC has, however, dismissed the fears expressed by the PDP as unfounded saying that it would adhere to all principles expected in a free and fair election.

Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi who is the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, in a telephone interview yesterday said the electoral officers being deployed to Ondo have no tainted records.He said: “In our guideline, there is no limit to the number of time someone can be used.

The only thing we can look into if people come out with evidence that the man compromised. “You can’t question our choice of returning officer. That is our own internal affair.”Oyekanmi advised that people should concentrate on the integrity of the process and not the person.

“It is not the man that is there, it is the process. All the political parties have agents who will be at every point, from the ward level to RAC to local government level and the collation centre. 

“So one man cannot influence the election, even the REC in Ondo cannot influence the election. People should not concentrate on personality but the process,” he stressed.

Adeyeye, however, expressed confidence that the PDP would win the Ondo election if it were free and fair.According to PDP, “INEC should now be called PNEC, meaning Partial National Electoral Commission. We do not have confidence in them going to Ondo. People should advise the commission to do a fair job in Ondo State. We are confident of winning the election if it is free and fair.”

The opposition party also disclosed that it would soon take disciplinary measures against its former National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and his camp for allegedly working in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate it in the Ondo election.Adeyeye said: “Sheriff and his camp have made every effort to frustrate us.

We are grateful to God and the Appeal Court which acted on the maxim that justice delayed is justice denied.The NBA, NJC and all Nigerians should condemn the attempt by the Sheriff camp to pervert and delay the course of justice.And now, the camp has confessed that it achieved its aim in preventing the PDP to campaign.

It simply worked in the interest of APC. But Sheriff and his men have reached the end of the road because disciplinary measures will be taken against them.”Adeyeye also disclosed that the PDP was no longer very eager in moving to occupy its Wadata plaza national secretariat because some diabolical objects have been buried within the premises.He, however, failed to mention those who planted those objects.