Rufus Akeju by the rattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might not be unconnected with the failure of the INEC boss to compromise and allow himself to be used by the PDP, said the Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties (ACPP).
The State of Osun chapter of the ACPP said the unprecedented defeat suffered by the PDP in the 2011 general elections, where the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidates swept all the elected offices in the state, was part of the reason the PDP is currently aggrieved with Akeju.
According to the ACPP, the PDP is not comfortable with the fairness and uncompromised principle of Akeju, hence has to resort to blackmailing the INEC boss, with a view to relieving him of his duty in Osun and influence the transfer of a compromised INEC official to the state.
Addressing a press conference on Monday in Osogbo, the ACPP maintained that the PDP’s call for Akeju’s removal is a ground plan of the party to rig the August 9, 2014 governorship election, and also prepare an excuse for its failure, if it loses the election.
The opposition parties challenged the PDP to come forward with any evidence proving Akeju’s misconduct and illicit act, saying that the party’s allegation against the INEC umpire was baseless and barbaric without evidence.
It maintained that the 2011 general elections supervised by Akeju were free, fair and credible to the extent that only a House of Representatives’ candidate of the PDP, Honourable Wole Oke, could contest the results of the election at the tribunal and eventually lost at the court.
The ACPP condemned what it described as untoward attitude of the PDP and its ‘illegal attempt to scandalize the electoral body with baseless and false allegations, saying that the call for Akeju’s removal was aimed at achieving some sinister agenda.
Describing the protest held by some youths against Akeju in Osogbo recently, as shameful and gathering of some handful of disgruntled elements, who were paid for the dirty job by the PDP, the ACPP said the PDP’s activities against Akeju do not represent the position of the opposition parties in the state.
The ACPP said: “The truth of the matter is that while other political parties are busy mobilizing their supporters in the forthcoming election, these PDP elements are hell-bent on creating a situation where they will be able to explain away their impending doom in the election, as it is very clear that the entire Osun people had rejected them.”
However, the ACPP called on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to disregard the PDP’s call and do not allow itself to be distracted by the party’s shenanigans, but rather concentrate on how to ensure free, fair and credible election, where people’s votes will count.
Members of the ACPP are: National Conscience Party (NCP), United Progress Party (UPP), Progressive Peoples Party (PPA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), United Democratic Party (UDP), African Peoples Alliance (APA), Citizens Popular Party (CPP), Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC).
No comments:
Post a Comment