Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday called on the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood, to ensure that the process of appointing electoral officers is transparent.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the Spokesman of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who noted that INEC had started the process of appointing electoral officers for the conduct of elections at various levels, warned that members of the Buhari Media Group (BMG) and other All Progressives Congress (APC) support groups, hiding under the N-Power programme of the Buhari administration, must not 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,” he said.
Ologbondiyan further insisted 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.
Alleging that Amina Zakari is already recruiting compromised lecturers, the party said, “we invite the INEC Chairman to note that we are aware that Mrs. Amina Zakari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s relation by marriage in INEC, is already coordinating compromised lecturers and other partisan individuals that will pander to her ploys to manipulate the Presidential election.”
The party demanded 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,” PDP said.
The party said that since the INEC Chairman, has said that Mrs. Amina Zakari has no role in the collation of results, “we consequently restate our demand that she be exempted from any form of electoral role in this elections.