We’ll not accept outcome of election conducted by INEC –PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will not accept the result of election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the present acting chairman, Mrs. Amina Zakari. PDP stated this in Abuja yesterday when the party visited two American agencies – the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Abuja.

At the meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, expressed worry that the independence of INEC was being compromised with the appointment of Zakari whom he said, has “consanguinity” with the president.

According to Metuh, PDP was not questioning the capability, qualification or the competence of the INEC acting chairman, but her alleged relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari.

“That is the areas we want the international community to intervene. He is showing that he is president of only his political party. He has shown his preference in travelling with only members of his party.

We want the international community to help him realise and practice democratic tenets,” he added. Metuh stated that democracy in the country is on trial and accused the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidency of intimidation and harassment of PDP officials and elected leaders.

“Democracy is on trial in Nigeria. The APC is engaging on campaign of calumny and witch-hunting of PDP leaders. Government is influencing security agencies to frame elected leaders. We want President Buhari to be fair and father to all Nigerians irrespective of political parties,” he added.

He said the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, was being intimidated and witch-haunted to get him out of office with the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule 2015. The PDP spokesperson also alleged that the governing party was using the Director-General of DSS to interfere in election matters. He said the purpose of the visit was to alert the international communities of issues capable of truncating democracy in Nigeria.

The NDI Resident Country Director, Jasper Veen, and his IRI counterpart, Sentell Barnes, who received the PDP spokesperson, stressed the need for strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

They advised political parties in the country to work for internal party democracy and the independence of agencies that will deliver credible elections in the country. “The quality of democratic process is the reflection of internal party democracy.

This is because internal party democracy is the greatest weakness to political parties in Nigeria,” Veen added. He also called on the parties to adhere to the provisions of the constitutions, which will help them overcome some of their challenges. Veen also advocated for constructive relationship between political parties and civil societies.