PDP threatens boycott of 2019 general elections – Secondus

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to boycott the 2019 general elections if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies fail to establish their impartiality.
The party adduced the alleged vote manipulation of votes that took place in the July 14 gubernatorial election in Ekiti state as foretaste of the pattern the 2019 may take The party national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who warned yesterday that the country is likely suffer militarization of the democratic processes, said the brute use of force and intimidation of opponents in Ekiti clearly indicated that the government of the day was determined to suffocate opponents and impose itself on the people.
Speaking while receiving officials of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI), Secondus revealed that the PDP is currently consulting widely on whether to participate in the forthcoming general elections or not.
The PDP had before the election in Ekiti protested to INEC and National Assembly expressing concerns that the build up to the Ekiti gubernatorial election held on July 14, was unpleasant and warned that the election would be a litmus test that will determine whether there would be election in 2019 or not.
Expressing his disappointment in the conduct of Ekiti election, Secondus lamented INEC’s alleged manipulation of vote figures in the Ekiti governorship election in favour of the APC and also accused the Nigeria Police Force of chasing away PDP agents from various polling centres particularly areas known to be its strongholds.
“We feel that it could be better because Ekiti is one of the smallest states in the country.
Ekiti was militarized by the presence of army, the presence of police, of course over 30,000.
“Our members were harassed, arrested and detained over night, all of these things were happening in the suburbs.
In the city, it was like a road show and it was like nothing is happening.
But it was at the local government that they carried out their activities and most people were scared and didn’t come out to vote”, he said stressing this was systematically arranged to give impression of a fair contest.
The PDP lamented the excessive use of federal might and crass deployment of money to arm-twist electorate to vote for the APC.
“They came out with federal might, with money, with everything to entice the voters.
Even at that, we won the election but it was manipulated.
Our opinion is that INEC and security agents are directly involved in this manipulation.
As a matter of fact we did not contest against the APC, we contested against the security agencies and INEC.
“It happened in Edo state and now in Ekiti, so we are in dilemma, everyday people are being killed and people are now living in fear, blood-letting everywhere.
‘Am quite sure that this situation is not been handled so that they can insert figures, especially in Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, Borno and Adamawa where insecurity is alarming”, he said.
Insisting that the situation portends serious danger to Nigeria’s nascent democracy, the party accused the federal government of deliberately playing politics with sensitive matters and warned that unless fundamental issues bordering on allowing democratic process to prevail, the 2019 general elections could be bloody.
“It is not because we are a political party that we must oppose, No.
There are basic fundamental issues that need to be address.
So that confident can be resolved.
We are yet to take that decision whether we will participate or not.
“If noting is done to stamp out militarization of election and restore the confidence of ordinary Nigerians and other political parties, then it may be difficult to accept the result of 2019 general election, no matter what the outcome may be unless it is transparent, free and fair and it is a recipe for crises”, he said.
Leader of the NDI and IRI delegations, Dr.
Pauline Beckamp, explained that the essence of the visit was to ascertain the level of the party’s preparation for the 2019 general election.
She said “we also want to see the roles and challenges you have regarding the forthcoming 2019 general election