The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to an allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig elections in some states.
A statement by the PDP issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP
National Publicity Secretary and Director, Media and Publicity of the
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, on Monday, had accused Professor
Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, of “overtly playing the script of
the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by
declaring governorship elections in states where the PDP is in clear
lead as inconclusive”.
PDP alleged that the INEC Chairman had
become “overtly partisan, surrendered its independence to the APC and
carries on as a compromised umpire with obnoxious impunity, thereby
sending signals of being heavily bribed by the APC to alter results for
its candidates”.
PDP also made references to states where elections were declared inconclusive.
However,
the electoral commission has denied the claims by PDP, stating that its
primary goal is to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
A
statement issued by Rotimi Oyekanmi, spokesman to the INEC Chairman, on
Monday, read: “It is quite unfortunate that at this particular period
when the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) is busy trying to
conclude the remaining governorship and state houses of assembly
elections, the Peoples Democratic Party has embarked on making spurious
and libelous allegations, without concrete proofs as usual.
“So
far, the PDP has won in Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Enugu, Oyo, Abia, Cross River
and Delta states according to the results declared by INEC.
Interestingly, the PDP has not accused INEC of rigging the elections in
these states.
“Sadly, the PDP has also not deemed it fit to
commiserate with the families of our ad hoc staff and other Nigerians
who lost their lives, including those who were injured in different
parts of the country while trying to carry out their legitimate duties.
This is rather unfortunate and regrettable.
“For the avoidance of
doubt, the Commission’s one and only interest in the 2019 general
elections is to make votes count. It is to ensure free, fair and
credible elections. When there is no interference with the electoral
process and an election satisfies the provisions of the law, the
Commission will always make a declaration of the results. But when there
is interference or when an election fails to meet the requirements of
the law, the Commission will not make a declaration.
“In the case
of Rivers, the Commission was forced to suspend the election due to
violence and threats to life, as a result of which it constituted a Fact
Finding Committee to assess the situation and report back within 48
hours.
“In a couple of other states where a declaration was not
immediately made, the elections did not meet the threshold required for
such a declaration. The Commission will take the appropriate action
prescribed by the law and make a declaration.”
The commission also appealed to Nigerians to “disregard allegations of bias being levelled against the Commission”.
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