PDP calls for resignation of INEC Chairman

• Rejects postponement of elections

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, over the one week postponement of the general elections this Saturday. The party rejected the shift in the dates of the general elections by INEC, describing it as an `act of wickedness’.

PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, described the postponement of the elections as part of a “grand design by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to thwart the will of Nigerians at all cost”, which he said had clearly exposed the INEC as a failure. Secondus, therefore, called on the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu, to resign immediately.

INEC on Saturday morning postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday Feb. 16 to Feb. 23, while state elections are also rescheduled from March 2 to March 9, citing unpreparedness as reason for the cancellation.

Secondus in the statement declared: “The PDP leader warns that the party will not accept anything short of a well organised electoral process devoid of manipulation, harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP.

“Having failed in all their nefarious options to enable them cling on to power, the APC and the INEC came up with the idea of shifting election, an action that is dangerous to our democracy and unacceptable.

“With several of their rigging options failing, they have to force INEC to agree to a shift in the election or a staggered election with flimsy excuses pre-manufactured for the purpose.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP sees this action as wicked and we are also aware of other dubious designs like the deployment of hooded security operatives who would be ruthless on the people ostensibly to scare them away.”

The PDP National Chairman also lamented that the postponement of the election is a `huge cost’ to Nigerians, including those who came home from abroad and had mobilised to their various constituencies.