Kebbi: PDP withdraws from LG polls

By Folorunsho Alagbede

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi has withdrawn from participation in the forthcoming local government council elections slated for Aug. 31.
The chairman of the party in the state, Bello Usman-Suru, made this known while briefing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
“Having made a wider consultation with some segments of the party membership and prominent elders; it becomes pertinent to inform you that the party is no longer participating in the local government councils elections slated for August 31st, due to the following reasons:
“The Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) and all the Commissioners are card carrying members of APC in Kebbi State.
“Therefore, organising free, fair, and credible elections will be a mirage.
“We voiced out our discomfort with their appointments in several communications to the Kebbi State Government and relevant agencies involved in elections management in the state.
“PDP, therefore, doesn’t have any confidence in the leadership of the State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the elections freely,” he said.
Mr Usman-Suru also lamented the creation of administrative fees in respect of chairmanship, vice chairmanship, and councillorship as prescribed in the elections guidelines.
This, he said, did not only disenfranchise some candidates but also grossly violates freedom of choice to candidates, political parties and the electorates.
The chairman said: “The released election guidelines specified that the administrative fees can be paid up to Aug. 30th, but abruptly shifted backward to Aug. 7th.