The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

  • Polls shift: There were attempts to sabotage us, says INEC chairman

    • Dismisses allegations of political influence, incompetence, security lapse • Says campaign, PVC collection remain suspended

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday listed sabotage of its efforts as one of the reasons for the rescheduling of this year’s elections.

    Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the commission, said three fire incidents in a space of two weeks at INEC offices could not have been coincidental.

    Yakubu spoke yesterday in Abuja at a meeting with stakeholders to throw more light on why INEC had to postpone the elections,six hours  to the accreditation of voters for the presidential and national assembly polls.

    He said: “we also faced what may well be attempts to sabotage our preparations.

    “In a space of two week, we had to deal with serious fire  incidents in three of our office in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, Qu’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State and our Anambra State Office at Awka.

    “In all three cases. serious disruptions were occasioned by the fire, further diverting our attention from regular preparations to recovery from the impact of the incidents.

    “In Isiala Ngwa South, hundreds of PVCs were burnt, necessitating the re-compiling of the affected cards and reprinting in time to ensure that the affected voters are not disenfranchised.

    “I am glad that all the cards were quickly reprinted and made available for collection by their owners.”

    Yakubu who has come under severe criticism from the public,groups and parties,especially the APC and PDP,the two main parties in the country, denied that the commission was being manipulated  from outside.

    He said the decision to postpone was entirely that of INEC management.

    His words:”Our decision is entirely taken by the commission. It has nothing to do with security, it has nothing to do with political influence, nothing to do with availability of sensitive material.

    “We believed that ultimately, this is for the good of our democracy and country. I wish to assure you of our commitment to free, fair and credible elections.”

    On the impact of the fire incidents,he said:” In Qu’an Pan Local Government Area, our entire office was razed, destroying all the materials prepared for the elections, printed register of voters, ballot boxes, voting cubicles and several electricity generating sets.

    “Registration Areas and over I00 polling units were affected by the fire. We recovered quickly and have since replaced everything destroyed. In addition, we secured a suitable building from which to conduct the elections.

    “Perhaps the most serious was the fire incident in our Anambra State Office at Awka, which destroyed over 4,695 Smart Card Readers being prepared for the elections. These Card Readers take at least six months to procure.

    “Despite this setback. we have practically recovered from this by mopping up every available spare SCR across the country and within 24 hours delivered them for elections to hold in Anambra State.

    “All these challenges mean that there have been differences in preparations from one state to another. Our overall assessment is that if the elections went on as planned, polls will not open at 8am in all polling units nationwide.

    “Yet, we are determined that polls must hold at the same time everywhere in the country. In this way, elections will not be staggered. This is very important to public perception of elections as free, fair and credible. We promised Nigerians that we shall be open. transparent and responsive.

    “Faced with these challenges, we initially thought that we only required a maximum of 24 hours to resolve the logistics issues involved and complete our deployment for the election.

    “This would mean shifting the elections to commence on Sunday 17th February 20l9. However, given the restriction of movement during elections, that could affect many votes who worship on Sundays.

    “ While the Commission was considering the following Monday 18th February 2019 as an option, our lCT Department advised us that it would require 5 -6 days to reconfigure about 180,000 Smart Card Readers earlier programmed to work only on election day Saturday 16th February 20l9. It is for this reason that the Commission decided to adjust the election dates to Saturday 23rd  February 2019 for Presidential and National Assembly elections and a consequential adjustment of Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections to Saturday 9th March 2019.”

    He allayed fears about the safety of the already  distributed electoral materials,saying they were being  retrieved and taken back to custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Continuing,Yakubu said:”It is often not appreciated the magnitude of activities that the Commission undertakes during general elections.

    “Not only have we  recruited and trained about one million young people to serve as ad hoc staff, the magnitude of materials mobilized for our elections is enormous.

    “For instance, the Commission has printed 421.7 million ballot papers for six scheduled elections, as well as 13.6 million leaves of result forms for the Presidential election alone. Indeed, managing 91 political parties and 23,316 candidates for whom

  • No more campaigns, collection of PVCs — INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says  there is no more room for political campaign or collection of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in spite of the postponement of elections dates by one week.

    The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure while fielding questions at the commission’s meeting with stakeholders, on Saturday in Abuja.

    Yakubu said that the deadline for the collection of PVCs and elections campaign by political parties according to election timetable has passed.

    “Campaign closed on Thursday, Feb. 14, and for the period that remain campaign remained closed.

    “All the other process that remain in the main timetable remain closed including the collection of PVC, except the conduct of the elections,” he said.

    On why the commission did not consult party leaders before adjusting the dates of the elections, Yakubu said that it was due to the urgency and that Section 36 of the Electoral Act  empowered the commission to do so.

    “We have to take a decision and communicate because polls were suppose to open at 8a.m. and we took the decision at 2a.m,” he said.

    Yakubu while answering question on why the commission waited till about 3a.m on Saturday before postponing the elections, said that up till 2a.m the commission was still hopeful that elections would hold as scheduled.

    On whether the commission has enough fund should the elections be postponed again, Yakubu said that INEC was not complaining, adding that the commission do not intend to postpone any of the elections again.

    On request that INEC should compensate  political parties for the change in dates, Yakubu said that INEC did not finance parties.

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomole, expressed displeasure that INEC waited till last few hour before announcing the postponement to Nigerians, demanding the apology of Yakubu to Nigerians and political parties.

    He said the postponement entailed huge loss to political parties who had no public fund to fall on like INEC, saying if the postponement was done on time, loss and inconveniences to political parties would have been avoided.

    “Serious inconveniences has been caused, Nigerians have been subjected to rude shock and I fell extremely cold.

    “I think we should be honest. I am shocked, disappointed and disgusted.

    “The real question I will insist, Mr Chairman by all due respect, is to tell us why by Wednesday you did not announce the postponement, since you acknowledged that the weather was bad.

    “You should have taken all these into account and announced this postponement at least 48 hours before the elections time, so that political parties don’t have to mobilise resources across 176,000 Polling units.

    “Observer will stay where they were and a lot of inconveniences would have been saved,” Oshiomole said.

    Representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Osita Chidoka, former Aviation Minister and Chairman, Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, commended decision of the commission for not allowing the experienced challenges to lead to staggered elections.

    Chidoka, requested for INEC assurance that Activate Technologies Limited, one of the companies producing the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), would not be involved in the retrieval and reconfiguration of card readers to be used for the rescheduled elections.

    He said that available information was that the Managing Director of of the company was a senatorial candidate of APC in Niger State.

    He also requested that the commission should allow independent verification that sensitive materials to be retrieved to the CBN had not been opened or tampered with.

    The National Chairman, Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), Chief Peter Ameh, said initially he was angered that INEC did not consult political parties like it was being done before change of election date in the past.

    Ameh, who is also the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), however, said that with the explanation by INEC Chairman, it was clear that the decision was taken in the interest of the nation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that INEC had shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23 and the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections from March 2 to March 9. (NAN)

  • EU, AU, UN, other observation missions urge INEC to adhere to new dates

    Election Observation Missions of the European Union (EU), African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and others have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to finalise all preparations and ensure that the new election dates are adhered to.

    They said this in a joint statement signed by eight organisations and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, in light of the postponement of the general elections.

    Other signatories to the statement are the election observation missions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Commonwealth Observer Group and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.

    Some others are the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the National Democratic Institute/International Republican Institute.

    They also said that INEC should provide regular updates and information to the public on its preparations in the coming days and weeks to enhance confidence and trust in the process.

    The observers also called on Nigerians to remain calm and support the electoral process.

    Read also: Ajimobi urges Nigerians to accept INEC’s reasons for election postponement

    “We, the Heads of the international election observation missions and the UN present in Nigeria, have taken note of the decision of INEC to postpone the 2019 general elections due to logistical and operational challenges.

    “While we note that this decision has caused disappointment for many, we call on Nigerians to remain calm and supportive of the electoral process as INEC works to implement its new timeline.

    “As we continue to closely observe preparations across the country, we stand in solidarity with the people of Nigeria in their desire for credible and peaceful elections.”

    NAN reports that INEC had shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections from Feb.16 to Feb.23, and moved the Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections from March 2 to March 9. (NAN)

  • Rescheduled Elections: Give INEC benefit of doubt, Amosun enjoins Nigerians

    The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has called on Nigerians to exercise patience with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and give it the benefit of doubt.
    Reacting to the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections, as announced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during inspection of some road projects in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode, he said
    “as disappointed as we are as a nation, we should give them the benefit of doubt, because they said it was to give Nigerians a free, fair and credible election.”
    The governor commended the people of the state for conducting themselves in a civil manner, following the announcement.

    Read also: Election: UN, Intl observers urge INEC to strictly adhere to dates

    Amosun, who inspected ongoing road projects across Ogun East Senatorial district with his Deputy, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga and some members of his cabinet, assured the people that his government will work till the very last day in office.
    On complaints in some quarters that his government neglected the district in project implementation, the governor noted that aside the construction of four flyover bridges, his administration has constructed Ejinrin-Oluwalogbon, Ikangba-Ilese roads in Ijebu-Ode and Oba Erinwole-Sabo road in Sagamu.
    He inspected the Degun, Italapo-Obalende, Balogun Kuku-Oke Aje and Igbeba roads, in Ijebu-Ode, which are in various degrees of completion as well as the ongoing 250-bed modern hospital in Oke-Mosan, Adigbe and car wash-Adatan roads all in Abeokuta, the state capital.

  • Election: UN, Intl observers urge INEC to strictly adhere to dates

    The Heads of the international observation missions in Nigeria have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strictly adhere to the new dates it scheduled for the general elections.

    The appeal was made in a joint statement signed by the heads of missions and the United Nations (UN) on Saturday in Abuja.

    The statement was made available by Sarah Fradgley, Press and Public Outreach Officer, European Union Election Observation Mission.

    The heads of the various missions also called on Nigerians to continue to remain calm and supportive of the electoral process as INEC worked to implement its new timeline.

    “We, the Heads of the international election observation missions and the United Nations present in Nigeria, have taken note of the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2019 general elections due to logistical and operational challenges.

    “We urge INEC to use this time to finalise all preparations and ensure that the new election dates are strictly adhered to.”

    They encouraged INEC to provide regular updates and information to the public on its preparations in the coming days and weeks to enhance confidence and trust in the process.

    They also expressed continued solidarity with Nigerians in their desire for credible and peaceful elections, adding that they would continue to closely observe preparations across the country.

    The heads of missions are Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former President of Liberia leading ECOWAS, and African Union led by Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

    Other missions are the Commonwealth, headed by Dr Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania; Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, led by Rupiah Banda, former President of Zambia.

    The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Amb. Boubakar Adamou, Director of African Political Affairs and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas were also represented. (NAN)

  • Election Postponement: Plot to enthrone Interim Government – CNPP

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) on Saturday described inconsistences associated the preparations for the 2019 generations as supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “part of a deliberate plot by anti-democratic forces to derail Nigerian democracy and enthrone an interim government in the country.”

    Reacting to the postponement of the February 16, 2019 presidential and federal legislative polls by INEC, the CNPP in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu wondered why “an election that took the electoral umpire four years to prepare for would be postponed at eleventh hour despite assurances by the Commission that it was ready for the elections.

    “Before now, there has been subtle mussing about plans by some forces to enthrone an Interim Government on the country and it is becoming obvious that such forces have thrown their evil spanners into the democratic electoral process to have a reason to carry out their clandestine agenda.

    “These forces, we suspect, are the same that have carried out systematic arson that led to the destruction of electoral materials and Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) at different parts of the country few days to the election and the killings in Kaduna State on the eve of the election.

    “As an umbrella body of all registered political parties and associations in the country, we compelled to alert the nation and urge well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy around the world that the postponement of the election for February 16, 2019 may not have happened as a mere logistics problems as adduced by INEC.

    “Even when the rumour of plans to postpone the polls strongly permeated the air days to the planned election date, the electoral umpire reiterated its readiness to go ahead with the exercise as scheduled, we are shocked that INEC suddenly postponed the election about five hours to time of commencement.

    “The ruling party and the INEC should be held accountable should our fears come to materialization as there might be another postponement of the rescheduled February 23 national elections.

    “We therefore call on the international communities and all election observers to be on the lookout as discovery of already thump-printed ballot papers and written result summary for an election that was yet to take place are part of efforts to rig and cause confusion and prepare grounds for an interim government to be foisted on the country.

    “The CNPP and other democratic watchdogs will continue to painstaking interrogate the electoral process with a view to exposing manipulations and electoral fraud capable of marring our hard-earned democracy”, the CNPP said.

     

     

  • Election postponement: INEC retrieves sensitive materials in Imo

    The Imo State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Saturday  said it has commenced the retrieval of sensitive materials already deployed to Local Government Areas for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    INEC postponed the election few hours before the commencement of the exercise.
    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner,  Prof Francis Ezeonu, said the sensitive matterials will be retrieved and returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safekeeping, while awaiting further instructions.
    Meanwhile, anger and disappointment have continued to trail the postponement of the election in Imo State.
    Electorates who had traveled long distance to the respective places where they are registered to vote, expressed dismay over the timing of the postponement by INEC.

    Read Also: Buhari denies prior knowledge of INEC’s decision

    When our Correspondent visited one of the Polling Units in Owerri, a handful of voters were seen waiting for the arrival of INEC officials.
    One of the aggrieved voters, Mazi Chuks Ofulum, lampooned INEC for toying with the nation’s democracy.
    According to him, “INEC had over three years to prepare for this election but it did nothing instead it kept Nigerians false assurances that it was ready for the election. The most painful aspect is that it had to delay the announcement until people have travelled and cancelled all social and business engagements. Yhe loss is monumental”.
    Also expressing disappointment over the postponement, former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, stated that, “postponement does not go down well with any patriotic and right thinking citizen of this country”.
    Ohakim who is also the governorship candidate of the Accord party, advised INEC to take steps to  ensure that there won’t be further postponements.

  • Yakubu meets stakeholders, plead for understanding

    The much expected stakeholders meeting on the postponement of the 2019 general election is about to commence.

    The management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu walked into the hall of the meeting exactly 3.22 pm, over one after the scheduled time of 2.00 pm.

    The INEC top management team, it was learnt were locked in a meeting with some head of observation team.

    In his remark, Yakubu said the postponement was entirely that of the commission and not under any influence or security issues.

    He noted that the commission earlier considered Sunday or Monday but had a rethink after receiving input from the ICT department that it will take five days to reconfigure card readers.

    He therefore assured the nation and stakeholders that the commission is determined to keep to its promise to conduct a free, fair and transparent election that beats the 2015 general elections, which has become a benchmark for the commission.

    Yakubu also agreed that the recent fire incidents in Abia, Anambra and Plateau had effect on the commissions scheduled of activities.

    He however said the commission has been able to mop up card readers from other areas, while new Permanent Voters Cards have also been printed as replacement for those who lost their PVCs to the fire incident.

    Yakubu’s decision was endorsed by all political parties present.

  • Polls postponement: Nigerians count losses, condemn INEC

    Nigerians on Saturday condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 12th hour rescheduling of the presidential and National Assembly elections slated for Saturday.

    INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu at the wee hours of Saturday announced the shift in dates for the presidential and governorship elections to February 23 and March 9 respectively.

    Yakubu while addressing reporters in Abuja shortly after a meeting with his officers had said the commission would not be able to deliver credible polls due to logistics and operational challenges.

    This announcement did not go well with most Nigerians who said they had made sacrifices to ensure they voted yesterday including travelling to their voting areas.

    Although there were no physical protests, Nigerians took to social media vent their frustrations especially those whose weddings and other social engagements had been fixed for Saturday February 23 and arrangements concluded.

    Lagos traders also lamented the losses they had incurred and those they will suffer next week as a result of the postponement.

    Read Also: INEC was never prepared for 2019 polls – Balarabe Musa

    Expressing his displeasure, a businessman Damilare Akinseye said INEC completely destabilised him by the announcement.

    He said: “They have just thwarted all my plans. Already I have lost money on Friday and Saturday as a result of this election. Things I was supposed to have done on Friday, I had to shelve them so that I can be around for the elections. Now, they want me to incur losses again next week?

    “It continues to baffle me why a country that has spent so much preparing for this election will at the last minute cancel it. Considering all the monumental sums that have been given to INEC, what is the issue of logistics here?

    “It is very annoying, appalling and I am not pleased with it. Whoever has done this did not put in place the rigjt structure to work. In advanced countries, they have good logistics structures.

    “It is sad that we have weak institutions in this country. That is what is leading to all this hitches we are having. Despite the postponement I will vote. I belief that Nigeria will be great.

    “The federal government should know that Nigeria is a sovereign state, and we should do things in accordance with standard. We should not turn ourselves into laughing stock in the comity of nations. Our leaders should do things in a civilized way.”

    A tomato seller at Mile 12 market lamented low patronage stating that most of their customers had either travelled for the polls or were sceptical about coming out.

    “You can see how everywhere is still empty for yourself. A lot of people travelled to their villages to vote. They would have made this announcement some days back so that people will not travel. Now, they have made us to lose money this Saturday and next Saturday we will not sell. They should be considering the sufferings of ordinary Nigerians before taking such decisions,” she said.

    Island Club Manager Olubunmi Fasan described the shifting of the polls as disappointing and demoralizing, noting that it came very late.

    “The announcement was made when it was least expected. It is demoralizing and there are multiplier effects of the cancellation on both our social affair and economic areas of our lives in Nigeria.

    “Apart from the discomfort associated with it, a lot of economic gains that would have been accrued if today had not been earlier chosen could not be achieved. Lots of people had their occasions cancelled, students came back from schools, talk more of international delegates who travelled far and wide to Nigeria to monitor the conduct of the election who are now forced to stay back or go back to their base to come back next week for same exercise.

    “Notwithstanding the above, what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. If the postponement is to allow for a better logistics in the conduct of the election that would be seen thereafter to be free and fair to the majority of the populace so be it.

    “It is a call to service and it is obligatory that I vote. Since I am still within the vicinity where I am to carry out my vote, I will still carry out my civic duty by voting for the candidate of my choice at the appointed date, because it is only patriotism that can swallow the disappointment of the postponement,” he said.

    A student Folayemi Ireoluwa said she was angry when she learnt of the shifting.

    She said: “Immediately I got the news of the postponed election, I was angry, destabilized, sad for our dear Nigeria, because majority of students had to rush down home just to be safe. Important appointments were postponed even to the newly selected date. Now what do we do?”

    A journalist, Tosin Adesile described the postponement as gross incompetence on the part of INEC especially because they had four years to deliver on this singular task.

    “Be that as it may, I will still perform my civic duties next week,” said Adesile.

  • Postponement: PDP urges Nigerians to remain firm

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians to remain firm and not to buckle before anti-democratic forces as a result of the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections nationwide.

    At a media briefing in Abuja Saturday, the main opposition party expressed shock at the last minute decision to postpone the polls.

    Spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who address newsmen, said the vehemently rejected the sudden postponement of the February 16 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a few hours before the commencement of polls.

    According to the PDP, the decision taken by INEC was a grand plot to give the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency the space to perfect their rigging plans, which have been resisted by Nigerians to this point.

    The party spokesman said the PDP was fully prepared for the polls, with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, having worked very hard in readiness for the election.

    Ologbondiyan said, “Our members and supporters, in their millions and generality of Nigerians that are eager to participate in the democratic process had already moved close to their polling units in readiness to vote and to defend their votes.

    “In some cases, Nigerians were already at their polling units in orderly queue in the hope to vote out the incompetent administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Countless of patriotic Nigerians and families had spent huge resources and made exhaustive sacrifices in travelling to their various polling areas to vote for their consensus candidate, Atiku Abubakar, only for INEC to announce this devastating postponement.

    “The public space is replete with how the Buhari Presidency mounted pressure on INEC leadership to postpone the election at the dying minute, so as to place more burdens on voters and frustrate their enthusiasm for the election”.

    The PDP regretted that Nigerians were made to lose trillions of naira, risked their lives on the road and in the air as well as faced other huge loses just because some politicians want to perpetuate themselves in office.

    The spokesman continued, “President Buhari in his desperation for power has again exhibited his insensitivity to the sensibilities of Nigerians, particularly in his deceitful attempt to heap blames on INEC for a plot that was hatched and executed by his Presidency.

    “It is instructive to state that the reasons given for the postponement, including the logistic challenges in the distribution of sensitive election materials, as well as security concerns, were all the machinations of the APC and the Buhari Presidency to create confusion and arrive at a predetermined end, which is to rig the election.

    Read Also: PDP rejects postponement

    “The APC and the Buhari Presidency, having realised that they have no chance of winning, had continued to prepare the ground by inciting acts of violence in various parts of the country, issuing threats to election observers, using the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to escalate a sense of insecurity, burning INEC offices to paralyze its operations as well as using government officials to openly mount pressure on the commission to shift the elections.

    “This is in addition to the compromising of government facilities and agencies to frustrate the distribution of sensitive election materials including results sheets in various states; the provocative substitution of already trained INEC polling officials with APC members as well as the deployment of security forces to simultaneously arrest PDP leaders and supporters, particularly in Kwara, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Kogi, Bayelsa among other states in order to create a sense of national insecurity and trigger violent resistance by the people.

    “APC’s new plot is to escalate series of challenges that will eventually paralyze INEC’s operation in some states so as to stagger the election and pave way to isolate certain critical states, after which it will use compromised security agents to muzzle the polls in those states in favour of President Buhari.

    “Our response to INEC and the Buhari Presidency is that they have only succeeded in postponing the evil day for their candidate, President Buhari”

    The party further said Nigerians will never adjust in their resolve to resist the APC rigging plans and serve President Buhari his defeat certificate at the polls any day, any time.

    “The PDP therefore stands with Nigerians at this critical moment and urge them to stand together in the overall interest of our nation. Our party appreciates the sacrifices and commitment made by Nigerians in the pursuit of a new leadership in our country; we understand the pains and distress they are passing through at this moment due to this postponement.

    “Nevertheless, the PDP urges Nigerians not to despair or allow our resilient spirit for which we are known all over the world to be subjugated at this crucial time. We must pick up ourselves against all odds and stand firm for the future of our dear nation.

    “In that regard, the PDP directs all our members and supporters to remain calm and encourage one another at this critical time. We all must stand together in preparation for the final push next Saturday. We must never give up until victory is assured.

    “Nigerians will never surrender to President Buhari’s anti-democratic forces that want to subjugate our people and derail our hard-earned democracy. President Buhari should therefore perish the thought of rigging this election or achieving a self-succession bid

    “The PDP calls on the international community to note what is happening in Nigeria and hold President Buhari as well as the APC responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in our country”.