N45m FORM: Buhari’s ‘pro-poor stunt’ is a violation of the electoral act— PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to penalise President Muhammadu Buhari for “violating” provisions of the electoral act.

The main opposition party said this on Thursday while reacting to the purchase of presidential nomination form for Buhari by a group known as the National Coordinator of Nigeria Consolidation Ambassador Network (NCAN).

The group had on Wednesday purchased the form for the president.

The PDP is arguing that the move is in violation of section 91 (9) of the electoral act which states that, “No individual or other entity shall donate more than one million naira to any candidate.”

In a statement on Thursday, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, said Buhari’s acceptance of the group’s payment makes him culpable.

Read also: 6 govs, 27 lawmakers to dump APC for our party ‘in a couple of weeks’ —PDP

The party said Nigerians were well aware of the president’s “gimmick” in purchasing the form, despite the “affluence” of his family.

“Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians,” the statement read.

“Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015.

“Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.”

 

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