The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday, said a majority of Nigerians were shocked over the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to undermine the electoral process by refusing to approve the demand by Nigerians across board for electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said the action of the APC senators was an atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in the nation’s electoral process in a manner that would engender free, fair and credible process.
“It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature, before conducting elections.
“This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly conferred operational independence on INEC to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government, ” PDP said.
The party also stated that the decision of the APC senators amounted to a suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which was a recipe for crisis that could derail democracy and destabilize the nation.
“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly resisted.
“Our party, standing with Nigerians, however commends the PDP senators as well as other democratically minded senators in the chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election, ” PDP added.
The opposition party noted the efforts being made in the House of Representatives and urged “lawmakers to return to the chamber tomorrow and save the nation from the machination of the APC as being pushed in the Senate.”
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
