The All Progressives Congress (APC) has resolved to continue with its campaign in the light of the postponement of the elections.
This
was announced by Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, at the
party’s national caucus meeting held in Abuja on Monday.
The
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the
postponement of the elections by one week, respectively, hours before
the presidential and National Assembly elections were scheduled to begin
on Saturday, February 16, 2019.
At another conference with
political stakeholders later that Saturday, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,
the INEC Chairman, had stressed that campaigns remained suspended.
However,
the APC has taken a contrary position, insisting that it would continue
with campaigns till Thursday, in line with the provision of the
Electoral Act.
Oshiomhole said: “You know that when you have low
voter turnout, that is when election rigging is most easy. Voter turnout
and voter apathy can result from the confusion. If at our level, we are
sufficiently disturbed, what would be the fate of the ordinary man? I
think we need to remind them across the country that elections have been
rescheduled and they should have trust, faith, and remain determined to
vote. The process of doing that would require that we return to
campaign between now and Thursday this week. Friday is not a campaign
day.
“To ask us as a political party not to go out? The members,
our people, would have forgotten. Some would have assumed that ‘look,
I’m not sure what these people want’. And the result could be very, very
low turnout. That is not good for a party that has huge, huge support
base. It can only be good for a party that is not sure of its level of
grassroots support.
“So, without consulting INEC, we are
proceeding and we are ready to meet them in court. Because they cannot
by administrative fiat amend or distort extra provisions in the relevant
electoral act and those laws are not secret to INEC.”
Source:- Saharareporters
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