APC in alliance with INEC, NASS to alter election timetable, PDP alleges

Ahead of the 2023 elections, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over the amendment of the Electoral Act to accommodate the ambitions of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who alleged that the APC was scheming with its leadership in the National Assembly over the matter.

It further detailed how the APC was mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over an alteration in its already released 2023 Election Timetable and Schedule of Activities.

Ologunagba stated that this situation would jeopardize the 2023 elections and Nigerians must resist such attacks on the country’s democracy.

He said: “Our party has information about how the APC has been mounting pressure on INEC to push forward the already scheduled dates for the 2023 general elections.

“The PDP vehemently rejects this plot by the APC which amounts to shifting the goal post in the middle of the game and cautions INEC to resist such heinous design against our democracy.

“The election timetable has already been released, political parties have commenced processes, Nigerians have since set their minds on the election dates to vote out the APC and there is no going back on that resolve.”

The party also urged all PDP members in the National Assembly to be vigilant and firmly resist this plot.

“Our party also calls on all lovers of democracy; the civil society, the media, organized labour and the international community to stand against this attempt by the APC to derail the democratic process.

Read also: Is your life better now in 2022 under APC?, PDP asks Nigerians

“The PDP will not hesitate to call out millions of our members, teeming supporters of our party and Nigerians at large should the APC continue in this nefarious scheme. The APC should have nobody but itself to blame.

“It must bear the full consequences of its recklessness, arrogance, disregard for rules, order and gross violation of its own constitution,” the PDP said.

In February, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Amendment bill into law.

Before he signed it, the president sought an amendment to the bill by asking the National Assembly to delete Clause 84(12) of the bill.

The clause reads, “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

However, the Senate rejected the request.

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