2015 Election: Tension In PDP Over INEC Deadline

Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega

Candidates sweat over possible names substitution 

Fear now pervades the camps of many PDP governorship and State assembly candidates as the clock ticks towards the deadline for the withdrawal/replacement of nominees by the political parties.

The emergence of the party’s governorship candidates in Borno, Imo and Ogun in particular, is being hotly contested by those who felt short-changed while the winners of the primaries are lobbying hard to ensure that they are not dropped at the last minute.

Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for the parties to withdraw/replace candidates for the governorship/state House of Assembly elections is Tuesday, January 13 – 45 days before the election as stipulated  by Section 35 of the Electoral Act,2012 (as amended).

The names of the candidates as submitted by the various parties are now on display at INEC offices across the country with the final list expected to be posted on January 14.

Sources at the Abuja national headquarters of the party told The Nation that some of the names earlier submitted to INEC may be substituted following “certain considerations and circumstances in a few states.”

“The situation as we speak is such that nobody can say specifically if we will still make changes or not. Candidates can still be withdrawn or substituted according to the commission’s deadlines. Where necessary, we will make use of this opportunity.

“We have some dicey situations on our hand. We have issues in Ogun, Borno, Imo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom and so on. While we are using our internal mechanism to handle some of these matters, some are already in court. Some of these cases may be determined before the expiration of the deadline.

“Where this happens, we will have to respect the rule of law. There are also instances where certain resolutions have been made to satisfy all sections in the state and resolve differences. We will also have to implement such resolutions before the deadline,” one source, a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), said.

It was also learnt that the party has been receiving petitions and complaints from states urging it to redress certain anomalies by changing its candidates if it intends to win the 2015 elections. This has created anxiety amongst candidates of the party. Candidates of the PDP in Zamfara State are jittery following the inability of the party to conduct governorship primaries on or before December 8 as stipulated   by INEC.

Rival parties have told   INEC to respect its own rules by rejecting any late submission of nomination by the PDP.

Some PDP aspirants are also kicking against the party’s choice of candidates in several states, citing alleged illegalities in the primaries.

The newspaper learned talks are currently on between the national leadership of the party and the aggrieved aspirants on how best to resolve the crisis and prevent other political parties from cashing in on the situation to rubbish the PDP.

In Borno State, a group of indigenes under the auspices of ‘Borno Coalition for Good Governance’ said Alhaji Gambo Lawan, who won the party’s governorship primaries in the state, will take legal action over his substitution with another candidate. It was reported that Borno PDP stakeholders met in Abuja at the weekend and substituted Alhaji Lawan with Alhaji Mohammed Imam, who is believed to have the backing of the former governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Modu Wulgo, and Secretary, John Ndirbula, said Lawan will seek legal redress for the ‘injustice’ done to him.

The Nation learnt that although a reconciliation committee has been instituted to look into the crisis created by the development in Borno State, Lawan’s camp has refused to meet with the committee, preferring instead to seek redress in court as being championed by eminent PDP chieftains in the state.

“The Borno case is one situation where the party may go back on its decision. From all indications, Lawan is the choice of the majority of party leaders and the party cannot go against its own chieftains,” our source said.

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume is claiming to be the authentic governorship candidate and has gone to flag off his campaign. The INEC list on display in Owerri shows the name of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, as the PDP governorship candidate. Comrade Chris Udensi, an associate of Ararume, said the last is yet to be heard of the matter as Ararume remains the candidate of the party, having won the primaries last month.

“That was why we flagged off our campaign during the week. Don’t be deceived by the appearance of Ihedioha’s name on any list. Imo PDP knows its candidate and we will not relent until the right thing is done,” he said.

But the director general of Ihedioha campaign, Mr. Chris Okewulonu, said yesterday that the people of the state “know the conspirators and their sponsors are wickedly out to  deny Imo State of good governance” by  Ihedioha.

Confusion still reigns in the Ogun State chapter of the party   over the absence of some names alleged to have been pencilled down as candidates by the national leadership of the party, as part of a reconciliation effort, on the list.

Former Governor Gbenga Daniel and several others who made the PDP “unity list” for the 2015 general election in Ogun State are missing on INEC’s candidates’ list.

Daniel had, in a statement by his media aide, Ayo Giwa, said he was directed to run for the Ogun East Senatorial seat by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure the party’s success in the state and that a “unity list” of candidates cutting across all interest groups in the state had been drawn up.

The name of Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka appeared on the list as the party’s state governorship candidate. Before the primaries that produced Isiaka, the national leadership of the party, through its National Working Committee, had directed its state chapter not to hold the primary.

National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said in the directive that, “For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC hereby states that it did not authorize any governorship primary in Ogun State.

“Consequently, any such exercise held in Ogun State is hereby declared null and void and of no effect. A new date will be communicated for the primary.” But the directive was ignored as the party, led by its Chairman, Mobilizing Committee in the South-West, elected Isiaka at the primary.

Defending the decision to shift the date for the submissions of list of governorship and state Assembly candidates only, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, noted that it was not an extension but rather a shift which was agreed at during the meeting of the commission and leaders of political parties who asked for the observance of Christmas day as free day.

“This new date is not an extension in any way. It was just a one-day shift because the Christmas (break) was asked for by the political parties. They felt it was not convenient for them to rush to INEC on Christmas day to submit list of their candidates and the commission granted them that request,” he said.