The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to create a constitutional crisis and undermine the nation’s democracy.
PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh on Sunday, also accused the Federal Government of deliberately debilitating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the extent that it can no longer perform its statutory responsibility because of lack of quorum.
“Nigerians are aware that before his tenure expired on June 30th, the former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega wrote to President Buhari, intimating him of the fact that the tenure of majority of the national commissioners will expire before August, yet the President never acted, resulting in the present crisis in the commission, where more than 80 per cent out of the statutory 13 members remain vacant, even as eleven states of the federation are also without Resident Electoral Commissioners,” the statement noted.
It added that this development has completely enervated the commission from carrying out its functions as stipulated in part 1 of Third schedule of the 1999 constitution as amended, thereby putting the nation’s electoral system under severe threat.
PDP also objected to the appointment of an Acting Chairman of INEC, describing it as an anomaly as “there is no provision for an acting chairman of INEC in our constitution.”
The party accused President Muhammadu Buhari of an ulterior motive to inject a constitutional crisis to undermine the nation’s democracy, and wondered why he should wait to be urged before he could forward replacements of retired INEC commissioners to the Senate for confirmation so as to enable the commission effectively carry out its constitutional responsibilities to the nation
“Could this be a ploy by the APC-led government to use a decapitated INEC to conduct the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa to pave way for their planned ‘capture’ of the two PDP states?
“Is the weakening of INEC not part of the plot to use the commission to put the PDP in precarious position in various electoral tribunals to the advantage of the APC?” the PDP asked.
According to the party, since the APC took over the government at the center, all is not well with the nation’s democracy, noting that the administration, through its actions and inaction, in undermining critical institutions of democracy.
PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh on Sunday, also accused the Federal Government of deliberately debilitating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the extent that it can no longer perform its statutory responsibility because of lack of quorum.
“Nigerians are aware that before his tenure expired on June 30th, the former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega wrote to President Buhari, intimating him of the fact that the tenure of majority of the national commissioners will expire before August, yet the President never acted, resulting in the present crisis in the commission, where more than 80 per cent out of the statutory 13 members remain vacant, even as eleven states of the federation are also without Resident Electoral Commissioners,” the statement noted.
It added that this development has completely enervated the commission from carrying out its functions as stipulated in part 1 of Third schedule of the 1999 constitution as amended, thereby putting the nation’s electoral system under severe threat.
PDP also objected to the appointment of an Acting Chairman of INEC, describing it as an anomaly as “there is no provision for an acting chairman of INEC in our constitution.”
The party accused President Muhammadu Buhari of an ulterior motive to inject a constitutional crisis to undermine the nation’s democracy, and wondered why he should wait to be urged before he could forward replacements of retired INEC commissioners to the Senate for confirmation so as to enable the commission effectively carry out its constitutional responsibilities to the nation
“Could this be a ploy by the APC-led government to use a decapitated INEC to conduct the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa to pave way for their planned ‘capture’ of the two PDP states?
“Is the weakening of INEC not part of the plot to use the commission to put the PDP in precarious position in various electoral tribunals to the advantage of the APC?” the PDP asked.
According to the party, since the APC took over the government at the center, all is not well with the nation’s democracy, noting that the administration, through its actions and inaction, in undermining critical institutions of democracy.
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