PDP Urge INEC TO Issue Certificate Of Return To Dariye’s Runner Up

The People Democratic Party (PDP), has urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to issue a certificate of return to Nde Alexander Molwus, who came second in the PDP primary senatorial election.

The PDP has also called on the Senate President to urgently do the needful as requested, by declaring the seat being “unlawfully occupied by Senator Dariye vacant”.

This was made known yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, at the PDP Secretariat, during a press briefing on the defection of Senator Dariye. 

Addressing Journalists, the Vice Chairman, PDP Plateau Central Senatorial District, Mr. Benedict Shignuhul, said that, the defection of Dariye, did not come to the party as a surprise, as it has been in the rumour mill for several weeks before his defection.

He said Dariye defected to the APC because he was promised a soft landing in his trial for corruption, by the same APC government, that pretends to be fighting corruption.

Shignuhul said that the senator did not consult any organ of the party before defecting and therefore his defection is viewed as an act of betrayal of trust.

His words, “we have therefore met at all relevant levels of the party in the State and hereby pass a vote of no confidence on Senator Joshua Chidi Dariye and can no longer have him as our representative in the hallowed Red Chambers”, he said.

The PDP said the mandate Dariye is currently enjoying, belongs to the Party and not to him as an individual, therefore requesting that he should vacate the seat.

“We call on INEC to immediately, upon receipt of the declaration of vacancy from the Senate President to issue a certificate of return to Dariye’s runner up in the primaries so that Plateau Central Senatorial District would have an honest, competent, effective and caring representation in the Senate”.

However, the Spokesperson for INEC Plateau State, Mr. Osaretin Imahiyereobo, while responding to our corresponding on the request from the PDP to issue a certificate of return to Dariye’s runner up, said judicial process must be followed.

According to Imahiyereobo, “once we get court ruling, we shall not hesitate to comply, as INEC can not be seen to disobey court orders”, he said.

Political analysts has however also opined that the PDP might succeed in reclaiming its mandate, as the Supreme Court has once sacked a lawmaker representing Akure South/North Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Ifedayo Abegunde, whom defected from Labour Party, (LP), to the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).