From John Adams, Minna
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State says it will not participate in the Local Government Elections in the State, accusing the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) government in the state of non-compliance with extent laws and regulations for the conduct of elections.
In addition to this, the main opposition party said the law suit between the PDP and the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSINEC), challenging the elections is still pending in court and therefore will have nothing to do with the forthcoming elections.
The State PDP Chairman, Tanko Beji in a statement in Minna on Tuesday said that until the determination of it suit against the state electoral body, it will nor participate in the elections.
It could be recalled that the PDP had approached the court, alleging a violation of the provision of the Constitution and the electoral act on the procedures related to the conduct of the Local Government elections.
However the case was adjourned for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive matter but the Counsel to PDP, Mohammed Ndayako SAN drew the attention of the court to a notice of the polls recently issued by the second defendant Niger State Independent Electoral Commission.
Counsel to PDP further submitted that the action amounts to impunity, considering the Court’s directive to the State Attorney General to advise the State Electoral umpire to discontinue the Local Government election process.
Giving further reason to boycott the Local Government polls, Beji also alleged that not all eligible voters in the state have been issued their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs).
According to him, the state has a total of 4,950 polling units but the NSIEC stated that it will only conduct elections in 3,185 polling units, a calculated to disenfranchised many voters in the coming LG elections.
While appealing to all PDP supporters to remain calm and law abiding, Beji assured them that the matter will be pursued in court to it’s logical conclusion.
PDP decision to boycott the polls is coming barely a month after the Assembly directed the Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and the state Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) to suspend tthe local government elections due to the current security challenges ravaging parts of the state.
The Assembly said the move is not only dangerous, but very insensitive to the current situation in the state where about 12 out of the 25 local government areas remain under the control of bandits and other terrorists.
