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INEC set to rig 2019 election for APC with released timetable, PDP’s Secondus claims

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INEC set to rig 2019 election for APC with released timetable, PDP's Secondus claims

Former acting national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus, has alleged that the 2019 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a process of rigging the election for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also said that the Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC remains unfit to conduct a credible poll and called for an immediate dissolution of the commission and reconstitution of a new one with people who have integrity.

He said that INEC as presently composed, lacks all it takes to conduct free, fair and credible election.

The electoral commission had on Thursday released a timetable where it fixed Saturday, February 16, 2019 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections to hold Saturday, March 2, 2019.

But Secondus, reacting on the development in a statement on Friday, insisted that Nigerians need nothing else to prove that the INEC has been designed to work according to the detects of the ruling APC by releasing the timetable without necessary consultations.

He claimed INEC’s resolve to carry out an APC designed agenda, was the reason it announced the timetable without first making sure that necessary due diligence, which includes adequate consultations with critical stakeholders like the political parties and civil society groups whose input is always sought and accommodated before the final decisions are taken, were not carried out.

He said, “It is curious that an electoral commission that is yet to be properly constituted and has before it many unfinished matters including voter education and enlightenment, had to rush out date for 2019 general election in full disregard of rules guiding it.

“As we speak, Anambra state gubernatorial election is due later this year and the state has no Resident Electoral Commissioner REC to carry out all the needful as enshrined in the constitution before the election.

“Since last year, Nigerian Senate had raised alarm over the implication of non-constitution of INEC but while the National Commissioners are filled, over 30 seats of Resident Electoral Commissioners remain vacant.”

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Secondus further noted that the President statutorily has the responsibility to appoint the RECs subject to the confirmation of the Senate in line with Section 153 of the 1999 constitution as amended, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, which established INEC; and Section 14(1) and (2) of the Third Schedule, which established the office of the National Chairman of INEC, the 12 National Commissioners as well as the RECs.

“Is it not curious therefore that INEC that is rushing to release 2019 timetable operates currently without RECs in the following states, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

“From Kogi, to Bayelsa, Imo to Edo and Rivers states this commission under the watch of the current chairman has failed to establish itself and engender the people’s confidence that it would be able to conduct unbiased election.

“If it is not inconclusive election, hacked website, it’s result falsification and result padding in connivance with the ruling APC,” he said.

 

 

 

 

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0 Comments

  1. Animashaun Ayodeji

    March 11, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    PDP is still scared and unsure of what 2019 is going to look like. All their allegations against APC and INEC show they’ve been rigging elections over the years. Only a thief will know the movements of another thief

    • Amarachi Okoye

      March 11, 2017 at 6:08 pm

      I agree with you because is only a thief that will tell you plans of tomorrow.we all know that 2019 election will be rig no doubt about it

  2. Margret Dickson

    March 11, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    It is a little too early to release election time table, the next election is 2019, for INEC to have released the election timetable, they must truly have some hidden agenda. How are we sure the timetable has been thoroughly scrutinized?

  3. yanju omotodun

    March 11, 2017 at 6:22 pm

    Secondus is really a second man who has no explanation that hold ground for his allegations. Why will inec consult anyone before fixing election date and the fact is that the Feb 16 could be changed if there are conditions warranting that especially security issues. And for the issue of RECs, it is a minor issue as they will all be appointed before the fixed day.

  4. seyi jelili

    March 11, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    But sincerely pdp are very right. First time in history to know the date of election that is two years ahead. There is something fishy about it for real

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