Connect with us

Politics

#NigeriaElections2023: Halt Collation Of Results, PDP Tells INEC

Published

on

The Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to halt further collation of the 2023 presidential results until the results are uploaded on its server.

The PDP disclosed this on Monday night at a press briefing held at the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja.

Speaking on the election result, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in the joint press briefing with the PDP presidential campaign council, stated that it is very clear from the votes as cast at the polling units across the country that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, substantially defeated the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, in line with the expressed aspiration and Will of Nigerians.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: [BREAKING] NigeriaElections2023: OBJ Writes Buhari, Expresses Worry, Says Tension Is Building

Ologunagba said, “INEC deliberately refused to commence the collation of results 48 hours after the election.

For clarity, Section 64 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act, 2022 specifically provides thus: “A collation officer or returning officer at an election shall collate and announce the result of an election subject to his or her verification and confirmation that Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, said any result announced by INEC is ultra vires, illegal, and of no consequence unless they are results already transmitted directly from the polling units. So procedurally, it further noted that INEC cannot continue to announce results that are yet to be transmitted as expressly stated in the relevant Sections of the Electoral Act.

The spokesperson maintained that the alleged deliberate delay by INEC paved the way for the “reported compromise, alteration, falsification and switching of election results in favour of the APC in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Ondo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Ogun and other states where our candidate was in clear lead”.

Advertisement

“The PDP, therefore, rejects the manipulated election results as announced by INEC while cautioning that INEC is pushing Nigerians to the wall by announcing manipulated results.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: NigeriaElections2023: Youths Storm ICC, Say Poll Disgraceful

“We are aware that INEC embarked on extensive and illegal cancellation of election results in many States of the country. For instance, in Sokoto State over 200 Polling Units results where the PDP is in the clear lead have also been canceled thereby disenfranchising over 200,000 registered voters.”

He added, “Information at our disposal indicates that INEC deliberately refused to commence the process of announcement of results more than 48 hours after the close of election and collation of results from the various Polling Units, which result by law was expected to be transmitted directly into INEC Server/Website as provided for under Section 68 of the Electoral Act 2022.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: #NigeriaElections2023: INEC Cancels 63 Polling Units Results’ In 4 Kogi LGAs

“The PDP on behalf of Nigerians and in the interest of national peace, demands that INEC halts further announcement of manipulated results and immediately transmit the authentic election results from the Polling Units directly its server/Website as required by law before the continuation of the announcement of results.

“The PDP advised that INEC should know that the party, majority of informed Nigerians as well as International Election Observers already have the results of votes as cast at the Polling Units across the country adding that its agents have been on the alert and we have all the results in our database.

“The PDP will not hesitate to make public the election results as cast at the Polling Units if that becomes necessary.”

Advertisement

Politics

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

on

By

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

Advertisement

He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

READ ALSO: Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aig-Imoukhuede, Other Africans Make Top 100 Influential Global

Advertisement

Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

Advertisement

“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

READ ALSO: Disregard Claim Of Me Bringing Investors To Nigeria – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

Advertisement

“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

Advertisement

Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

READ ALSO: NJC Issues Three Judges Warning Letters, Halts Two Others’ Promotion

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

Advertisement

Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Advertisement

However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Continue Reading

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

on

By

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: LP Group Urges INEC, Judiciary to Adhere To Rule Of Law, Electoral Act

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

READ ALSO: Step-by-step Guide To Accessing FG Consumer Credit Scheme

Advertisement

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

on

By

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: Reason Ex-Speaker Resigns From PDP Revealed

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Edo: Man Arrested For Posting Obscene Photos Of 4-year-old Daughter Online

All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

Advertisement

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version