The Peoples Democratic Party says it will reject the result of any election conducted by the newly appointed acting national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, if it doesn’t favour it. Olisa Metuh, PDP’s spokesman told officers of the National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute in Abuja, during his visit to the places on Thursday. He reiterated his party’s concern about Zakari’s alleged closeness to the president and the likelihood of favouring the latter’s party in any election she supervises.
“We have INEC and the idea is that people heading it should be above board, but the present ruling party has appointed the ‘daughter’ of the President to head the position,” Mr. Metuh said. “There is no where in the world where such has happened, a person who has a relationship with the President. I am drawing the attention of the IRI that Buhari has appointed his ‘daughter’ as INEC Chairman, we believe there will not be fairness.”
“It will be very difficult to accept any result of the election conducted by Amina Zakari. It will be difficult for PDP to accept result of election if we lose under Zakari.”
Metuh urged the two international bodies to call admonish Buhari over his actions they perceived as “draconian and authoritarian”.
“We encourage freedom and in just two months in power, we have witnessed organised witch hunt by the leadership of the APC in trying to muscle our people.”
The NDI and IRI are non-governmental organisations with strong ties to the United States of America, USA. Metuh’s visit and statements to the bodies are perceived to be connected to President Buhari’s planned official visit to the US on Sunday, where he would hold talks with President Barack Obama, his Deputy, Joe Biden and other top government and non-governmental individuals and organisations.
Metuh added that whereas former President Goodluck Jonathan always had opposition party’s governors in his entourage on international travels, he said President Buhari has shut out PDP governors, now in opposition.
Responding, NDI Resident Country Director, Jasper Veen, noted that anywhere in the world, the most important area to tackle was the political party itself.
He noted how Nigeria’s political system reflect her political parties’ recruitment into key goverance positions. He also advised that political parties allow internal democracy, while sympathizing with the PDP in the new reality of being an opposition party. Veen said being in opposition isn’t always easy. That the United States will ensure Nigeria’s democracy develops fast and a promise to look at issues Metuh raised was the response of IRI’s resident program officer, Sentell Barnes.
