Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus has warned that the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Professor Mahmood Yakubu is a threat to the nation’s democracy.
Secondus, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, said events involving INEC since Yakubu assumed office portray the electoral body as a biased agency, eager to do the biddings of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than be an impartial umpire.
He noted “that from the recent governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Edo states to the rerun polls in Rivers and Imo states, INEC under the present leadership showed glaringly that it cannot conduct a free, fair and credible election.”
According to him, the electoral body has continuously compromised its independence by “conniving with agents of the APC to manipulate electoral process and undermine the will of the people.”
The PDP leader said it is unfortunate that the APC, which is a huge beneficiary of credible election in the country would not allow INEC do its constitutional duties without interference.
Secondus said the recent arrest of suspected members of the APC in Rivers State where they were printing fake ballot papers has exposed INEC’s alliance with the ruling party. He wondered how the suspects got the code numbers and all the security link, if they were not working in league with the electoral body.
The former PDP leader said the development in Rivers State where some APC agents were caught printing ballot papers has exposed INEC and wondered where the printers got the code number and all the security link if they were not in league with the Commission.
While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to condemn the act and denounce the desperation of his party for power, Secondus said INEC’s alleged partisanship is not only a threat to democracy but also national stability.
SUN NEWS
