The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Kebbi, has withdrawn from participation in the forthcoming Local Government Council elections slated for August 31.
The Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Bello Usman-Suru, made this known while briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
“Having made a wider consultation with some segments of the party membership and prominent elders; it becomes pertinent to inform you that the party is no longer participating in the local government councils elections slated for August 31st, due to the following reasons:
“The Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) and all the Commissioners are card carrying members of APC in Kebbi State.
“Therefore, organising free, fair, and credible elections will be a mirage.
“We voiced out our discomfort with their appointments in several communications to the Kebbi State Government and relevant agencies involved in elections management in the state.
“PDP, therefore, doesn’t have any confidence in the leadership of the State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the elections freely,” he said.
Usman-Suru also lamented the creation of administrative fees in respect of Chairmanship, Vice Chairmanship, and Councillorship as prescribed in the elections guidelines.
This, he said, did not only disenfranchised some candidates but also grossly violates freedom of choice to candidates, political parties and the electorates.
The chairman said: “The released election guidelines specified that the administrative fees can be paid up to Aug. 30th, but abruptly shifted backward to Aug. 7th.
“This amounts to changing the rules in the middle of the game and a clear attempt to discourage opposition parties from participating in the elections.
“It is against this background that PDP wishes to inform its teeming supporters statewide that our participation in the elections will only signify acceptance of an illegality, fraudulent system, and stage-managed elections as done in the previous exercise conducted in 2022 under the same leadership.”
Usman-Suru appealed to all PDP members across the 21 LGAs to remain calm and focused as “we continue to reflect on the present and prospects of our great party at local, state, and national levels.”
The chairman expressed optimism that the National Assembly would consider and pass a bill for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take over the conduct and management of LG elections for free, fair, credible, and acceptable elections across Nigeria.