PDP threatens to boycott 2019 general elections

PDP alleges that INEC manipulated the result of the just concluded Ekiti governorship election in favour of the APC

The party accuses the Nigerian police of preventing PDP agents from assessing various polling centres in Ekiti particularly in areas known to be its strongholds

- The opposition asks NEC to declare its candidate, Olusola Kolapo Eleka as winner of Ekiti gubernatorial election

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, has threatened that his party will not participate in the 2019 general elections if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies in the country refuse to display impartiality during the polls.

Secondus issued the threat on Thursday, July 19, at the PDP the national secretariat when hosting a combined delegation of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

The party chairman alleged that INEC manipulated the result of the just concluded Ekiti governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also accused the Nigerian Police of chasing preventing PDP agents from getting to various polling centres in Ekiti particularly in areas known to be its strongholds.

We are still contemplating on whether we will participate in the 2019 elections or not. We are yet to take a decision on this," Secondus said.

“We are not sure that the security agencies and INEC would be impartial and transparent. In the Ekiti elections, there were instances our party agents’ tags were removed and given to the APC agents.

“There were clear cases of manipulation, ballot snatching and harassment of our party agents."

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ekiti state gubernatorial election, Kolapo Olusola Eleka, to carry out his threat of challenging the result of the poll in court.

The electoral body insisted that the result of the election was a reflection of the will of the people and that Eleka heading to court was the proper thing to do, The Nation reports

“INEC welcomes the decision of Prof. Eleka to go to the tribunal on the outcome of the governorship election. That is the proper thing to do,” INEC’s director of voter education and publicity, Wole Osaze-Uzzi said.

The official said the fact that international and local observers rated the conduct of the poll as good was an indication that the outcome of the election was a fair reflection of the will of the people of Ekiti state.

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