By Jude Opara, Abuja
As preparations continue in top gear for the local government elections in Adamawa state on July 13, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has vow to boycott the exercise alleging that both electoral commissioners and the chairman are all card carrying numbers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC organizing secretary Mustafa Atiku Ribadu said this in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Yola.
Atiku said the chairman of the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ASIEC) is a former commissioner in the state while two other members are former council chairmen of the same PDP.
According to Atiku those combination cannot conduct free, air and credible election as there are going to favour their political party.
The organizing secretary said constitutionally, a card carrying member of any political party cannot be involved in any matters of the commission talk more of becoming chairman or member of the electoral body.
“We feel there will not be free and fair election, therefore we will boycott the election and make sure that the members of the commission are dissolved” said Atiku.
However, responding to the accusation, the chairman of the ASIEC, Alhaji Muhammad Umar that he is not a card carrying member of the PDP, that rather he is a former staff of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC), which gives him the credibility to occupy the office.
He further said they are saying so maybe because he is a former commissioner in the state, arguing that doesn’t mean he is a member of the PDP. He challenged them to bring any evidence that he is a card carrying member of the PDP anywhere in the country.
On the preparations for the July 13 elections, the chairman said all arrangements are on top gear and that training of adhoc staff was billed to start on June 24 (Monday).
He added that all contract has been award for production of elections materials, including both the sensitive and non sensitive materials expected to be delivered to them on July 1.
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