2023: PDP alleges Presidency, APC’s pressure on INEC to alter election dates

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3 years ago

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday alleged that there was a plot by the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter the newly passed Electoral Act 2022 to introduce clauses that would compromise the 2023 general elections.

The main opposition party alerted that there was a clandestine attempt to get INEC to push forward the already set elections dates because the APC was allegedly not yet ready.

In a statement signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary, the PDP maintained: “The APC, having realized that it is running out of time and cannot meet up with the already released electoral timetable now seeks to frustrate and derail the ongoing electoral process.”

The party informed that it has it on good authority that the Buhari Presidency has perfected plots to use the APC leadership in the National Assembly to orchestrate an amendment to the Electoral Act to create an opening for INEC to alter its already released 2023 Election Timetable and Schedule of Activities to accommodate the APC.

The statement added: “Our Party has information about how the APC has been mounting pressure on INEC to push forward the already scheduled dates for the 2023 general elections.

“The PDP vehemently rejects this plot by the APC which amounts to shifting the goal post in the middle of the game and cautions INEC to resist such heinous design against our democracy.

“The election timetable has already been released, political parties have commenced processes, Nigerians have since set their minds on the election dates to vote out the APC and there is no going back on that resolve.”

The PDP, therefore, cautioned the Buhari Presidency and the APC leadership in the National Assembly to note that “any attempt to alter the timetable is an invitation to the serious political crisis in the country as Nigerians will firmly resist them.”

While directing all its members in the National Assembly to “be vigilant and firmly resist this plot,” the PDP also called on all lovers of democracy; Civil Society, the media, Organized Labour and the International Community to stand against “this attempt by the APC to derail the democratic process.”

It further said: “The PDP will not hesitate to call out millions of our members, teeming supporters of our Party and Nigerians at large should the APC continue in this nefarious scheme.

“The APC should have nobody but itself to blame. It must bear the full consequences of its recklessness, arrogance, disregard for rules, order and gross violation of its own constitution.”

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has approved the extension of sales of Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms for all elective offices in the 2023 general elections from the initial date of Friday, April 1, 2022, to a new date of Friday, April 8, 2022.

In the same vein, the last day for the return of already completed Forms as well as the Screening Exercise for both the State House of Assembly and National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) has been rescheduled.

The new timetable released by the party in Abuja on Wednesday indicated that the last day for the submission of already completed forms for the state House of Assembly, Sunday, April 10, 2022, by 6 pm, and National Assembly, Sunday, April 10, 2022, by 6 pm.

The screening of aspirants is now on State of House of Assembly, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, and National Assembly, Thursday, April 14, 2022, while all other dates remain as already published.

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