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Says defection to APC won’t define shape of 2027 election
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is very critical to the sustenance of democracy in this country, stressing that Senate must do a good job while screening the newly appointed Chairman of the Commission, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan.
Amupitan, a professor of Law at the University of Jos, was appointed the new INEC Chairman by the President with the approval of the National Council of State on Thursday.
The nominee is now awaiting the screening and confirmation of the Senate.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, while responding to the issue of the nomination of Amupitan as INEC Chairman, at a press conference Friday in Abuja, pointed out that the expectation of everybody is that the Senate will do its job, and that the nominee, if he is found worthy of being confirmed, would be guided, by the need for democracy sustenance and to help in reducing or eliminating the concerns that Nigerians have against the INEC.
According to Ologunagba, “I believe that the Senate and the nominee will recognize that INEC is critical to the sustenance of democracy in this country.
“And therefore, what we expect is that the Senate will do its job, and that the nominee, if he is found worthy of being confirmed, would be guided, by the need for democracy sustenance and to help in reducing or eliminating the concerns that Nigerians have against the INEC.
“Having regards to the records of INEC in the past, we hope we can turn the corner to ensure that we have a democratic process that is free, fair, credible, and that Nigerians can believe in.
“So, that’s our expectation. That’s setting the stage for the Senate in particular, which is the first state. And secondly, for the nominee to recognize, when he is confirmed, if he is found worthy by the Senate.
“We expect that the Senate will do a good job for the Nigerian people, for democracy, and indeed for the whole world.
“INEC has been a beneficiary of so much of the work that we (PDP) have done. And we hope that we can continue to do so.
“INEC has enjoyed so much partnership from across the world and the world is watching.
“Nigerians are no longer going to entertain the usual excuse from INEC.
“The idea of inconclusive elections will not be acceptable and Nigerians, and indeed the whole world is watching”, he said.
Speaking on the gale of defection of the PDP chieftains and members to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Ologunagba declared that it (defection) will not determine the way the 2027 general election will go.
His words, “Again, for emphasis, the election of 2027 and many after that, are not going to be on the the basis of decamping.
“What would make a difference in that election is the insecurity that is ravaging the whole country and no part is exempted.
“It is a fact that life has become almost brutish in this country. It is a fact that you have a government that is not responsive and responsible to the Nigerian people.
“It is about the government and the leaders in that government that look down on Nigerian people and said we’re too small.
“It is about people who would see their kids go to bed without dinner. It is about people who go to the hospital who cannot pay their bills. It is not about decamping or many people decamping.
“Nigerian people have not decamped from hunger, and they want to. And if they are going to decamp from hunger, they will be coming to PDP, which is prosperity and hope.
“Not just because we’re saying, it’s not sloganeering, we’re not just saying slogan. It is based on our track record of performance.
“This is the jittery thing from the APC. It’s based on the fact that the PDP as a party is moving towards convention in a very steady way. So they’re jittery knowing fully well that the only way they can come around and have some conversation is if they have a PDP that is not together”, he stated.
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