2019: INEC cannot be trusted for a credible, free and fair general elections- PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to put itself into proper shape before the 2019 general elections in the country, saying the present state of the Commission is worrisome.

The country’s main opposition party stated this in the wake of recent cases of alleged registration of under-age voters in the recently held Local Government election in Kano State.

Addressing a world press conference on Tuesday, the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, stressed the need to revamp INEC’s image, pointing out that the electoral body had lost the trust reposed in it by Nigerians to conduct free and fair elections under the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led administration.

It said: “Nigerians have completely lost confidence in INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu and we urge him to take the path of honour and do the needful before it becomes too late.

“The credibility of our electoral process under the current INEC is hugely in doubt. The nation was last Wednesday terrified by the commission’s Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, who announced that INEC registered minors because its agents were threatened by members of the communities in those States.

“By this alarming and unpatriotic statement, INEC under Professor Yakubu has completely discredited and disqualified itself and cannot be trusted to conduct a credible, free and fair general elections in 2019.

“The import of this statement is that INEC under Professor Yakubu is not firm in its acts and will consequently cave in and accept any form of irregularities once it is put under pressure by members of a voting community.”