Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are mounting pressure on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to alter the guidelines for the general election.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said the opposition party is aware that the presidency and the APC are mounting pressure on Yakubu to tinker with the presidential poll.
Ologbondiyan claimed the aim is to make it easy for the planned alteration of results and allocation of fictitious votes to President Muhammadu Buhari, during collation of results of the presidential poll on February 19.
He also alleged that the INEC chairman is being offered money, running into billions of naira, by agents of the APC and a cabal in the presidency; to accede to their demands.
“We urge Prof. Yakubu to note that Nigerians are already aware of the pressure being placed on him by the Buhari presidency and APC; seeking to force the Commission to drop the display of results at the polling units, as well as the electronic transmission of polled figures to INEC server from its guidelines.
“Information at our disposal further reveals that the INEC chairman has been under pressure from this group…Prof. Yakubu is now counseled to distance himself from these very dangerous racketeers and the Commission from this very dangerous racket, as Nigerians will directly hold him responsible should these two important guidelines that guarantee transparency in the elections suddenly disappear from
the INEC manual.”
Besides, Ologbondiyan, who is also the director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, stated that the party is opposed to plans by INEC engage past members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as adhoc staff during the general election, based on the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“ASUU has not said be- cause it is on strike it will not participate in the elections.
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“What INEC is plotting to do is to go to the street and handover the election to the APC and that is not acceptable. That is the position of the PDP presidential campaign organisation. We will never allow INEC hand over the election to the APC. In whatever measure and whatever guise. It is not only PDP. I can assure you that majority of political parties will not accept that,” the opposition spokesman stated.
Furthermore, Ologbondiyan faulted a media report that one of its governors is working against the party
in next month’s presidential election.
He said none of its governors would have any reason to work for Buhari’s re-election.
“The report has no name to it. It didn’t give us the name of the governor who said that. But, let me make it abundantly clear, through you, to Nigerians, that no PDP governor, and, I insist,is going to work for president Buhari. None! And, the reasons are manifest: One, they don’t share ideology. Two, Buhari has demonstrated deviousness and viciousness against the PDP and all its members.
“It is on record that in 2003, Alliance for Democracy governors in the South West worked for (former) President Olusegun Obadanjo. After working for him, the story of what happened is still being told today. I believe that we all learn from history. I believe there is no governor, whether in the North or in the South will work for president Buhari.
“In hope of what? To get what? To secure what? So, the issue that a particular governor said that he will not work for Atiku is a fabrication.”