Posted by By Jacob Edi, Abuja on
Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), General Mohammadu Buhari, yesterday failed to appear before the on-going verification of presidential candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), General Mohammadu Buhari, yesterday failed to appear before the on-going verification of presidential candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This is coming just as the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lashed out at Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a dictator and part of the problem of this nation.
No reason was however given for Buhari's absence. But sources at The Buhari Campaign organization (TBO) said he was resting after he returned from London in the early hours of yesterday.
It could, however, not be ascertained as at press time whether he will appear today as the screening continues.
But seven other presidential candidates, including Alhaji Musa Yar'Adua, were present. Others include African Democratic Congress's (ADC), Prof. Patrick Utomi; Alhaji Aliyu Habu Fari of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Mr. Maxi Okwu of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP); Major Mojisola Obasanjo, Chief Sunny Okogwu of the Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN); as well as Better Nigeria Peoples Party (BNPP) Godwill Nnaji. Professor. Utomi, Okwu and Okogwu were the presidential candidates that showed up for the exercise during the morning session, while in the afternoon, Yar'Adua, Major Obasanjo, Fari and Nnaji appeared at the evening session.
Yar'Adua arrived the INEC headquarters around 3:08pm accompanied by top party functionaries as well as governorship candidates in a convoy of cars. National Chairman, Col. Ahmadu Ali, his deputy, Bode George, National Secretary Ojo Madueke, were also on the entourage.
Just as the exercise was about starting, the news of a court injunction restraining the commission from embarking on the exercise started spreading throwing the workers into confusion. But the commission's Director of Public Affairs, Pastor Segun Adeogun told INEC correspondents that the commission had not received any injunction notice.
The commission's Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, shortly before the commencement
the exercise allayed the fears being expressed in certain quarters that the commission was being used to disqualify certain individuals, saying it could not do so.
Hr said 'The only body that disqualifies any individual is the constitution of the land, which has elaborately highlighted some of those criteria that could lead to someone' disqualifying candidates. Our job is to make sure that the process is as transparent as possible and also to prevent a situation where there will be less cases of post election litigation."
'If there are petitions, we will review it and send them to the political parties concerned so that they take the necessary action," He added that for there to be transparency the commission would not accept any change or substitution of candidates before February 5, so that it would not be accused of bias.