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Chief Audu Ogbeh
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There were indications
that the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party were already commencing
tactics aimed at frustrating the decision of the Independent National Electoral
Commission to make use of card readers for the 2015 elections.
This is coming as a
former National Chairman of the ruling party, who is now a chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said there were signs that the PDP was
not interested in holding the elections.
Rather, Ogbeh said, the
party was still hell-bent on foisting interim government on Nigeria.
A source in the
Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity with our correspondent in Abuja
on Tuesday, said that both the Presidency and some members of the National
Working Committee of the party had been asked to continue to either condemn the
use of the card readers for the elections or also that the commission be told to
allow Nigerians to use the Temporary Voter Card instead of the Permanent Voter
Card for the election.
He said, “We are not
comfortable with the card readers. For example, we have not seen any and we
don’t know how it works. What will happen if the
card readers fail to work? We have not even been told that they would not fail.
And if they fail, what would happen. I think the issue of card readers must be
re-examined.”
The commission had said
that it would introduce card readers for voters’ accreditation in order to
verify the rightful owners of PVCs.
It said that the device
would eliminate impersonation and voting by proxy during the elections.
Meanwhile, the Director
General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, Amadu Ali, on Monday criticized
the Electoral Commission for the postponed elections, saying the electoral
body was not fully ready for the polls.
Ali, who spoke at a press
conference which was also attended by the Director of Media and Publicity of
the organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also criticized the use of card
readers for the elections.
He said, “There are also
reports that the PVC readers are not fully distributed and tested. How can INEC
handle cases of faulty card readers? Do they have a credible
plan B in situation where voters line up and the card readers refuse to work?
Ballot boxes are reportedly inadequate. Adequate training of INEC’s members of
staff for the election had not been concluded and other problems facing INEC. Quite clearly the shift
in election date is meant to save INEC from monumental embarrassment. I would
like to reiterate that the PDP is ready for the election any day.”
But Ogbeh in a statement,
insisted that the PDP was not ready for the elections and advised Nigerians to
reject any call for the installation of ING by the government.
He said that the letter
sent to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, by the National Security
Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.), in which he asked for elections
postponement by six weeks must be properly digested by Nigerians.
Ogbeh said, “Does this
not suggest that we should expect high-level theatrical manipulation as the six
weeks get closer to convince us that another six weeks will be necessary? Isn’t this a ploy to
ensure we enter May 29 without an election on the grounds of a nationwide
instability? Doesn’t this then give credence to the rumours, and indeed, the
declaration in a rowdy press conference four days ago by Dr. Doyin Okupe that
they have no intention of handing over to Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)? Isn’t this leading to
the strongly rumoured Interim National Government? It is time for all Nigerians
to take heed that there is stormy and dark clouds ahead.”
He said that Nigeria had
been reduced to children’s playground where individuals and groups presume
that they could name preferences of their own without recourse to the constitution and the
slightest respect for the 170 million Nigerians.
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