PDP take protests to INEC Headquarters

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned against the militarization of elections in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa States during the March 9, 2019, governorship and state assembly elections.

The PDP led by the National Working Committee, took a peaceful protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Abuja, to voice out their complaints.

Stakeholders are of the view that the presidential and National Assembly elections which held on February 23 in Nigeria, may have come and gone, but there are varying issues which many felt should be properly handled, as Nigerians go for another round of elections.

It is anticipated that on March 9, people of voting age will once again exercise their civic responsibilities, electing governors in 29 states and the state legislative arm, which the INEC said it is well prepared for.

However, the PDP has become to the desperation of the ruling APC to truncate the true will of the people and resort to capturing of states even where they are not popular.

PDP is, therefore, worried that the ugly incidents caused by the heavy presence of security personnel during the February 23 polls, which left innocent Nigerians dead, may once again play out in the Saturday elections.

The PDP led by the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, took a protest to INEC, insisting that the military be kept away from polling units and collation centers.

A little drama ensued when the party’s Chairman insisted that the Chairman of INEC must receive the protest letter.

The Federal Government had after a meeting with service chiefs at the Villa assured that more security will be deployed to trouble spots across the country for the governorship and state assembly polls. However, PDP suspected a replay of the first general elections where the military were used to allegedly manipulate the elections for the ruling APC.