Anambra 2010: INEC Excludes PDP

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chukwuma Soludo from the list of aspirants in obedience to the ruling of the Court of Appeal which ordered the electoral body not to recognise Soludo as PDP candidate.  The party had already appealed to the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the 49th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP, the Vice President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan told the party chieftains not to lose hope as the Supreme Court had already decided on the supremacy of political parties in the nomination of candidates in previous cases.

“We have a challenge now in terms of Anambra elections and as 2011 is moving nearer the challenges will be more because we are approaching our election.  And I believe the Anambra election is another test case.

“To me, I am really worried about the Anambra election because if you look at the INEC position PDP is contesting the election. They are not saying that PDP will contest the election.  The issue is that we are yet to sort out our candidate and I believe it is a classical case and all Nigerians will be watching how these things will progress.

“My conviction is that PDP will contest Anambra election.  My conviction is that of course INEC cannot stop PDP from contesting the election PDP’s name is there and we have to contest that election.  So nobody should be worried, nobody should be discouraged because of whatever is happening because, if you look at some kind of judgement that has been given by Supreme Court over the period, you will know that the party is supreme and the position belongs to the party and I believe that there is no way PDP will not contest the election.”

The Vice President also lampoon other political parties for being complacent during electioneering campaigns only to turn around and accuse the PDP of wrong doings after losing the election to the ruling party.  He assured that the party would win the presidential election 100 times over.

“I always tell people that even if you conduct presidential election 100 times and bring angels from the moon to conduct it, PDP will still win.  Because as human system, there may be some errors of flaws or perceived discrepancies in terms of the management of elections but there is no other party today that I can say has a bigger followership than the PDP.

“If politics is a factor of the people, if the number matters, there is no reason any party will say we suppose to win.  Infact, immediately after the elections and whenever people come up with the feelings that PDP rigged elections I used to say look I was the governor of Bayelsa State when we contested this presidential elections and in my state though the population of Bayelsa State is low, but because it is a strategic state because of the  industry  of the factors  Niger Delta, any party that is worth winning elections is supposed to go there and campaign.