There May Be No General Elections In 2023 – PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday resolved to report the actions of the military in the just concluded February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections through a petition to the United Nations (UN) as well as other global democratic institutions.
The PDP also resolved to file a petition at the election tribunal in Abuja today. The party warned that there may be no election in 2023, given the manner the present government was running the affairs of the country.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the expanded caucus meeting of the party, the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “Caucus commended Nigerians for refusing the harassment, intimidation, and militarisation of the electoral process and participating in the election but noted that the mandate that was freely given to our candidate was stolen and as such the party and the candidate jointly resolved to go to the tribunal, and reaching the end of what is permissible within our legal system to get back our mandate on behalf of Nigerians.
“Caucus further noted the role of the military in the February 23 election and resolved that we will report the action of the military through a petition to UN as well as other global democratic institutions on the role of our military in the February 23 election.
“Caucus also reviewed the situation in Kano State, particularly as it concerned the court decision and noted that an appeal had been filed against the judgment and we will continue to study and follow the situations as they arise.
“Caucus further raised issues about the harassment, intimidation, and cajoling of our members on the plot by the Buhari presidency as well as APC to intimidate the people’s president, former VP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the resolve of the PDP to go to court by insisting, blackmailing, and saying that he should not go to court. We insist that our party and our candidate have resolved to seek legal redress on the stolen mandate.
“On the forthcoming governorship election, we decry the militarisation of the South-South and the rigging, which the APC is plotting ahead of the election. We urge Nigerians to come out en masse and participate in the election and ensure they vote for the candidates of the PDP.”
Speaking earlier at the caucus meeting, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who said that the party would file its petition today (Monday) or tomorrow (Tuesday), said the decision of the party to seek legal redress was largely informed by what he called the brazen rigging of the polls by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Alleging that the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were intimidated to carry out the bidding of the ruling party, Secondus said President Muhammadu Buhari-led government used “the military to harass the electorate in some parts of the country in the course of the elections”.
