FCT polls: PDP condemns withdrawal of candidates

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the withdrawal of  some of its  chairmanship candidates from the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Area Council polls.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described the action of the affected chairmanship candidate as undemocratic.

The opposition party’s chairmanship candidate in Bwari Area Council, Julius Adamu and his counterpart in Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC), Zadna Dantani, had on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, announced their withdrawal from today FCT Area Council election, and pledged support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress ( APC).

The PDP, while decrying the action of the candidates, noted that democracy thrives on healthy contests and “not forced or induced melodramatic consensus, as currently witnessed in the build-up to the FCT local council elections.”

Furthermore, the party stated that “as sad as this development is, it is a pointer to the type of voodoo democracy promoted by those parading as leaders of the PDP, whose only interest is to ‘hold’ the party for the President.

“This is exactly what they intended to do to Nigerians, when close to the Presidential elections, they can compel, induce or cajole  all the other candidates to step down or withdraw for the President to have a smooth sail back to Aso Rock Villa, despite the abysmal performance of his administration.

“It was for ignoble, reckless and shameless acts like these that we excommunicated them from our party, in order to rebuild a strong opposition party prepared for a struggle to return to power by 2027.

“Furthermore, voters should go to the polls prepared to protect their votes and ensure that Presiding Officers transmit Form EC8A immediately after announcing the result at the polling unit.”