INEC not ready for free, credible election – Secondus

The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus has declared that the 2019 general election is under serious threat, alleging that the ruling All Progressives Congress and the federal government are not disposed to conduct free and fair poll.
Secondus who stated this when he received officials of the European Union at the party’s Wadata house headquarters in Abuja yesteday led by Ambassador Ms Beatrice Markussion, deputy director of Africa Division, European External Action services, said “available intelligence to the party shows that the government and the electoral commission are all plotting to rig the election.
The national chairman said the opposition party was concerned that “the level of preparation of the ruling government and the electoral commission is disappointing.” He said, “Our major concern is that INEC and security agencies are working hand in hand to rig the election for the APC.
What they did in EKiti state in July and they are still preparing to repeat it in Osun on September 22, is enough evidence that they are not ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
“The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmud Yakaubu, should go beyond verbal promises and put into action credible and practical processes for election,” he said.
“This government has divided the country, borrowed over N11 trillion, yet hunger is ravaging our people as the economy slides.
Records show that more Nigerians have been killed in the last three years than during the civil war, yet the government remains insensitive to the situation,” he added.
The national chairman said that the government’s disregard to the rule of law and human rights have so degenerated that a 90 year elder statesman, former minister of information had his house raided last week by operatives of the state police.
Meanwhile, the EU leader, Ambassador Ms Beatrice Markussion, commended the party for providing robust opposition which is necessary for democracy to strive.
She noted that “in few months away, the focus of the global community would be on Nigeria to see how it copes with her election processes.”