APC PDP

Concentrate on crumbling PDP, APC tells Secondus

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By  Jimi Anjolaoluwa – Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus, to concentrate his energy on salvaging his party from crumbling, alleging that the opposition party has become “shockingly rudderless” under his watch.

The governing party was reacting to comments by the PDP Chairman on President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC’s decision to defend and support free, fair elections, particularly the 2019 elections as opposed to the electoral malpractices regime under the PDP.

In a statement signed Monday in Abuja APC through the Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, said the in recent months PDP has witnessed resignation of many PDP members due to Secondus activities which has brought the PDP to its knees.

“The APC calls on Secondus to focus on the PDP which has become shockingly rudderless under his watch.

“Under Secondus, the PDP has never had it this bad with the opposition Party’s stakeholders detached from the party activities as was witnessed with notable PDP leaders boycotting the Party’s 2019 presidential campaigns and the recent Bayelsa State Governorship bribe-for-ticket scandal that indicted Secondus.

“Little wonder, the recent months have witnessed many PDP members resign their membership due to Secondus activities which has brought the PDP to its knees.

“The PDP under Secondus is in willful denial of the obvious that under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, free, fair and credible elections are the new normal. Voting power is fast returning to the people and the era of stolen and procured votes is fast-fading.”

APC emphasised that President Buhari’s declaration that the APC could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general elections but chose free, fair elections was a solid pointer and demonstration of democratic and progressive credentials.

“Why will the PDP under Secondus not support efforts to ensure the independence of our state institutions such as the Judiciary, INEC and our security services and ultimately deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system?

“We call on progressive partisans, particularly in the PDP not to sink with the opposition party which has become clearly disillusioned under Secondus. The Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CENCPC) has created a healthy and progressive political environment in the APC and is entrenching internal democracy which is geared towards electing into public offices patriotic countrymen who will put the people first and contribute to achieving the Nigeria we all desire and deserve, a party which defends that fact that power belongs to the people and during elections, votes must count.”
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Edo, Ondo Guber: Don’t heat up polity, CTA warns stakeholders

From Jimi Anjolaoluwa – Abuja

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), an electoral monitoring group has cautioned all the stakeholders in the forth coming Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections to ensure that their actions and words do not trigger violence and heat up the polity unnecessarily.

It also called for cooperation for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by abiding by the guidelines as issued by the electoral body for a hitch-free election.

In a statement signed by the CTA executive director, Faith Nwadishi, at the end of a recently organised two zoom meetings for stakeholders in Edo on May 27 and Ondo State on the 11th August 2020 respectively, resolved that INEC should call political parties to order and ensure that campaigns are conducted following strictly the Covid-19 Protocols as issued by NCDC and the INEC guideline for the governorship election.

The meeting further resolved that campaigns should be carried out responsibly and working with relevant health authorities to reduce the spread of the pandemic by activating the social distancing strategy and the wearing of face masks.

” That INEC, NCDC, Civil Society, Political parties and the National Orientation Agency should intensify Voter education and enlightenment to allay the fears of the public especially on the fear of contracting the COVID virus while coming out to vote and to be in tune with voting procedures and the electoral process.

“That INEC in collaboration with NCDC and health agencies ensure adequate deployment of health personnel at all polling units and voting areas.

“Civil Society Organisations are called upon to champion the call and advocate for the regulation of party financing through electoral reforms and policies.

“That INEC should give assurances and make adequate provisions to protect and give access to people with disability, pregnant women and the elderly.

“That political actors should ensure that their actions and words do not trigger violence and heat up the polity unnecessarily.

“The Centre for Transparency Advocacy, therefore, enjoins all stakeholders to be mindful of the health challenges and cooperate with INEC by abiding by the guidelines as issued by INEC for a hitch-free election.”

The stakeholders who participated at the meeting included representatives from the NOA, INEC, IPAC , CSOs, PWDs and Faith-Based Organisations.

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