Polls: PDP, INEC in verbal war over recruitment of ad hoc staff

…APC govs recruiting ad- hoc staff for Electoral umpire, PDP alleges

…INEC: Not true, PDP should come out with proof of evidence

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday, engaged in verbal war over recruitment of ad hoc staff for the forthcoming general election. While the PDP questioned the neutrality of INEC in the coming elections by alleging complicity in compilation names of ad- hoc staff for the polls, the Electoral body challenged the PDP to come out with proofs of its allegations. Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press conference on Monday alleged that INEC has been taking directives from the Buhari Presidency and the APC on how to manipulate the electoral process at various levels. The party disclosed that INEC has collected a list of people that will serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units, from APC state governors and candidates, across the federation, on the directives of the Buhari Presidency. He said the PDP is already privy to how the lists were populated with APC members and agents of the APC candidates, after clearance by the APC leaders in various states. According to him, “the PDP vehemently rejects this wicked plot by the Buhari Presidency, which is tailored to ensure institutional manipulation of the electoral process, including accreditation, voting and collation of results at the polling units, which is the base of the elections. The PDP held that by following the directive of the APC in such dubious rigging scheme, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has violated section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended). PDP said the INEC chairman’s act shows that he is in clear deficit of the required political will to conduct a credible, free and fair election. “This is especially in the light of the boasting by agents of the Buhari Presidency and the APC to give the INEC Chairman what they describe as the “Onnoghen treatment”, and frame him, if he fails to comply with their rigging plans. “In the light of the foregoing, the PDP demands that INEC, within the next 48 hours, publish the list of all officials and ad-hoc staff that will play any form of role in the election at all levels for verification by stakeholders. “Any delay or refusal by INEC to publish the list with 48 hours would be a clear acceptance that it has been compromised by the APC and this could lead to a very serious crisis with very dire consequences as the PDP will never allow anybody to rig it out in this election. “The PDP wants Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that the fate of our nation lies in his hands. It is left to him to decide whether he would end as a national hero or as a villain”. The PDP called on the international community to place the INEC Chairman, Directors and Commissioners in INEC responsible for this election on their watch list and proceed to impose travel ban on them as well as hold them directly responsible should there be any form of rigging in the February 16, 2019 Presidential election. The party directed all its members, teeming supporters and all well-meaning Nigerians across the nation to get ready to vote out President Buhari and protect their votes with all the energy available to them in the defence of our democracy and freedom as a people. Reacting to allegations by PDP that the commission was handed lists of name of ad- hoc staff to be engaged in coming election by APC governors, INEC described it as wild allegations. Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Rotimi Oyekanmi, challenged the PDP to come out with proofs of its allegations. He said such baseless allegations were meant to distract the Commission at this crucial stage to the elections but said INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu would not be distracted. “I call on any political party or individuals with information on how the Commission plans to or has engaged members of any political party as ad-hoc staff for the upcoming general elections to make such information public and mention specific names. “It is not enough to make wild allegations. It is incumbent on those who make such allegations to also provide the proof. “With less than 2 weeks to the general elections, INEC cannot afford to be distracted by baseless allegations. “The Commission is not a political party and will not allow itself to be dragged into unnecessary controversies at a time like this. INEC assures Nigerians that its overall commitment is to conduct free, fair and credible 2019 general elections, for which it needs the support of all”.