Don’t bother about run-off, Atiku will win at first ballot, PDP campaign tells INEC

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to bother itself with any preparation for a run off in the 2023 presidential election as it is confident that the presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will win at the first ballot.

Recall that INEC had revealed on Friday that it was already making plans to conduct a second presidential election in case there is no clear winner after the February 25, 2023 poll.

In line with this, the electoral body has made plans to print double the total number of ballot papers required for the first ballot.

INEC Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who disclosed these at a roundtable meeting with media Bureau Chiefs in Abuja, said that the commission had to do so because it may not have the time to arrange for printing of ballot papers immediately after the first election to be able to deploy in time for the next poll.

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But a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesperson for the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization on Saturday, counseled the electoral body “not to listen to diversionary narratives by apologists of the deflated All Progressives Congress (APC) who are ostensibly seeking ways to derail the election, having realized that their Party has been rejected.”

It added: “The campaign urges INEC to deploy its resources towards conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election that will be generally accepted by majority of Nigerians.

“Our campaign is confident that by every indices and data available, our Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will win the Presidential election of February 25, 2023 at the first run.

“The APC has seen defeat ahead as Nigerians are quickly reaching a consensus on the fact that the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is not electable.

“We urge Nigerians to remain resolute in their determination to vote in their choice, Atiku Abubakar, and take every step necessary within the ambit of the law to protect their votes.”