The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure transparency in the appointment of electoral officers for the forthcoming general elections.
The PPCO Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, who made the call at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, said INEC must ensure that the process of appointing electoral officers was transparent.
He said that no member of any group directly or indirectly affiliated with any political party should be allowed to participate as electoral officers in any capacity and at any level in the general elections.
“Our party also insists that no university Vice Chancellor or lecturer, who, at any point in time has manifested or expressed any form of partisanship, should be allowed to participate in the electoral process.
“The PPCO further insists that names of all electoral officers at all levels must be made public ahead of the elections, for all stakeholders to assess the neutrality of such officers in their respective constituencies.”
Ologbondiyan alleged that INEC National Commissioner, Mrs Amina Zakari, was already coordinating compromised lecturers and other partisan individuals to manipulate the Presidential election.
“The PPCO, therefore, demands that the process must be checked and conducted with strict compliance with the assurances of the INEC Chairman, that it will be credible and transparent.
“It is important to state that our party is not in the arena of conflict with INEC but as a political party and critical stakeholder in the 2019 elections.
“We have the responsibility to point out pitfalls that can endanger the electoral process and lead to a slide into chaos.
“The PDP is a responsible political party. Our members, followers and teeming supporters cut across all the 120,000 polling units in our nation.
“The PDP, therefore, is a major stakeholder in the 2019 general election and even beyond. As such, INEC should stop engaging the PDP and other political parties as if we are enemies.
“The commission must consider all propositions and objections pointed out by the PDP and other opposition parties as measures that will foster free, fair, transparent and credible elections.”
Ologbondiyan added that as a matter of necessity, Zakari be exempted from any electoral function in order to avert a conflict of interest bordering on partisanship.
“We call on the United Nations, the European Union and all democratic institutions across the world to rise and appeal to the INEC Chairman to in the interest of peace exempt Zakari from the exercise, as any election conducted with her participation in INEC cannot be anything credible,” he said.
Ologbondiyan said that the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as well as all its candidates in all the elections at all levels were ready for the elections.
“All that the PPCO demands from INEC is a credible, free, fair and transparent process in which results must reflect the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians at the elections.
“The participation of Amina Zakari in the process cannot guarantee this.
“Meanwhile, let it be known that anything short of a free, fair, clear and credible election will not be acceptable, not only to the PDP, but also to the entire nation.” (NAN)