March 19, 2019
Press Statement
Loading ...The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vehemently rejects the arm-twisting
of the judiciary and the court by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to
unconstitutionally halt the conclusion of collation of already declared
results in the Bauchi State Governorship election, which has been won by
the PDP.
The party alerts that such development, which is akin to the infamous
order that derailed the 1993 democratic process, is part of the plot by
the APC and certain compromised elements in the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to escalate crisis and derail our electoral
process.
The power to collate, suspend collation and or to reverse such decision
based on obvious circumstances as the case in Bauchi is clearly within
the domain of INEC. Until Collation is completed and results declared
no one can question the constitutional powers of the electoral body:
INEC, in that regard.
The PDP cautions that if this desperate underhand measure by the APC to
halt electoral processes is not checked, our hard earned democracy will
fail us and our nation thrown into anarchy.
Our party should not be constrained into a situation in which we will
have no option than to allow our members to seek similar exparte orders
to halt statutory processes including the swearing-in of APC candidates
at various levels, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari.
It is clear that collation of result is part of the electoral process
and that INEC cannot act on a purported exparte order to jettison its
independence and halt the collation of results, which is a key component
of its statutory electoral duty.
Section 87 (10) of the Electoral Act is unambiguous in its prescription
that “nothing in this section shall empower the courts to stop the
holding of primaries or general election or the processes thereof under
this Act pending the determination of a suit”.
Our party therefore charges INEC to be properly guided by the law in
this regard.
The PDP urges the institution of Judiciary not to allow the APC to
entangle the court in its shenanigans to destroy our hard-earned
democracy.
Nigerians in Bauchi state have elected the PDP and nothing can change
this reality.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
And
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
