Nigeria’s ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) says it suspects the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is involved in a clandestine move with the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rig Saturday’s elections.
This observation was made at its national caucus meeting on Monday, February 18, 2019 following the postponement of the general elections.
Few hours to the elections scheduled to have taken place on February 16, 2019, the INEC announced the postponement of the elections to February 23.
According to the INEC, the postponement became necessary due to a number of constraints like the over 600 suits challenging the election process and bad weather that affected the transportation of electoral materials by air.
It is on the back of this development that the APC is demanding an immediate assurance from INEC that the February 23 elections will be devoid of challenges.
“As we have said clearly and unequivocally, we want the February 23 date to be sacrosanct. We have asked INEC to ensure that that day is sacrosanct,” National Legal Advisor to the APC, Babatunde Ogala told TV3’s Komla Klutse after the caucus meeting.
He also said the party has questioned the idea behind the postponement of the elections on such a short notice.
“We raised suspicions, we raised concerns, and we wondered why the elections have to be postponed five hours to the commencement of voting.
“We asked questions to the fact that INEC ought to have known up to at least Friday, that the elections have to be postponed.
“We never expressed any doubt of confidence in the electoral body until the electoral body cancelled the election at the time it did, hence, we are wondering why it went the route it went through,” he said.
The APC legal advisor however stated that despite the postponement of the elections, the APC is still poised for victory.
“Despite how we feel now, what has been done is to postpone our victory. We are resolved to intensify our campaign and inform the public. We want the February 23 date to be sacrosanct.”
“We should not have less than a 70% margin.”
“We are as confident as we were on February 16th,” he said.
He also stated that President Buhari has served notice that anyone who attempts to engage in any violent activity or rig the election will be dealt with.
“Whoever is going out to rig, he is going to get security agents to go after them.
“Let the votes count Let the will of the people prevail, whoever may attempt to sabotage the electoral process we shall meet and resist that attempt, ” he said.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana