PDP Rejects INEC's Call For APC To Replace Audu, Demands Resignation Of AGF, INEC Chairman

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has demanded immediate resignation
of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Malam Abubakar Malami
and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh who briefed
newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, also rejected INEC's call on the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to replace its governorship candidate for
the Kogi poll.

He said that the AGF should vacate his office for "hurrying and
misleading" INEC into arriving at an "unconstitutional decision" to
allow the APC substitute its candidate in the inconclusive Kogi
election.

Metuh said that PDP was 'shocked' that INEC could allow itself to
succumb to the antics of unlawful directive of the AGF to substitute a
candidate in the middle of the ballot process.

He said: "We are all aware of the two legal documents guiding INEC in
the conduct of elections; the Constitution and the Electoral Act have
provisions for electoral exigencies.

"The legal documents also empower the electoral body to fully take
responsibility for any of its actions or inaction without undue
interference from any quarters whatsoever.

"We are therefore at a loss as to which sections of these two relevant
laws INEC and the AGF relied on in arriving at their bizarre decision.

"Bizarre decision to substitute a dead candidate in an on-going
election even after the timelines for such has lapsed under all the
rules."

Metuh said that the PDP was taken aback why INEC, a statutory body
with full complements of technical hands in its legal department would
wait for directives of external party on the matter.

"Consequently, the PDP rejected in its entirety, the move to
circumvent the laws and ambush the yet-to-be concluded election by
introducing a practice that is completely alien to the constitution
and the electoral act.

"The clear implication of this action of the AGF and INEC is that the
APC would be fielding two different governorship candidates in the
on-going Kogi election.

"This means that INEC would be transferring votes cast for late Prince
Abubakar Audu to another candidate, scenarios that have no place in
the constitution of the land," he said.

Metuh said that since the PDP in respect for the dead, had since
Sunday refrained from making comments on the Kogi election, the party
could no longer maintain such in the face of the `barefaced attack' on
Nigeria's democracy.

He said that INEC under the leadership of Yakubu had shown itself as
'partisan, morally bankrupt and obviously incapable' of conducting a
credible election.

"In view of the foregoing therefore, the PDP demands the immediate
resignation of the INEC chairman.

"The call is important as the nation's democracy cannot afford to be
left in the hands of an electoral umpire that cannot exert its
independence and the sanctity of the electoral process."

He said that the PDP National Working Committee had summoned an
emergency National Caucus meeting on Wednesday, November 25 to take
decision on the "obvious threat to Nigeria's democracy."

-Vanguard