The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Federal Government of being unable to conduct credible polls across the country next year.
According to the PDP, the signals from the government concerning the conduct of elections is worrisome.
“It appears the ruling government is not prepared to conduct elections that will be fair, credible, that will be free and fair,” PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Thursday
One month after the Osun Governorship election, and the declaration of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, as the winner, Ologbondiyan insists that his party’s candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was denied his mandate.
“In Osun, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Senator Adeleke, won the election with about 300 votes but we witnessed a situation where INEC, believably, on the instruction of the Federal Government altered the process and stopped the declaration of our candidate as the winner of the election.
“And there are several other cases like that. It happened in Kogi State, it happened in Bauchi South bye-election and we just discovered a plot by the government to ensure that we don’t have a credible election.”
After the Osun election, on October 5, leaders of the PDP along with members of the party stormed the headquarters of the electoral body and the Nigeria Police in protest.
After concluding their protest at the INEC office, the PDP leaders met with resistance when they got to the police headquarters as police operatives fired tear gas at the protesters in a bid to prevent them from gaining entry into the premises.
Ologbondiyan condemned the action of the police, insisting that the situation proved their claim that the current administration is not prepared for the conduct of credible elections in 2019.
