The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his re-election bid to push the nation into a state of lawlessness.
The party also counselled the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu not to succumb to pressure to manipulate the electoral process in favour of President Buhari, saying doing so will birth a crisis capable of destabilizing the nation.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday, the PDP warned handlers of the President to play by the rules even as it called on Nigerians to checkmate them “before it is too late.”
The statement read: “PDP’s fresh caution to INEC chairman is predicated on an alleged secret meeting he held with President Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, at the Presidential villa last Friday.
“Prof. Yakubu should note that the polity is already tensed over INEC’s listing of President Buhari for election despite his failure to present the constitutionally required academic credentials like other candidates.
This development casts a dark shadow on the credibility of INEC to conduct a transparent election.
“INEC is invited to further note that Nigerians are aware that by President Buhari’s declaration, in an affidavit, that his said certificates are with the military, his nomination documentation is therefore constitutionally incomplete, making him ineligibile to contest the 2019 Presidential elections.
“By failing to write to the military authorities to release his claimed certificates, Mr. President leaves Nigerians with no option than to hold that he does not have the credentials and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not provide that affidavits can be used as a substitute for any candidate’s credentials.
“Mr. President’s affidavit also shows that he did not submit any certificate in 2015, making his candidacy for that election improper and defective under our laws.
“Prof. Yakubu must have noted the heavy public criticisms that have been trailing his provocative declaration that Nigerians should go to court over the certificate saga.
His statement betrays an electoral umpire who is under threats and heavy pressure to abdicate his statutory duty of enforcing constitutional requirements for elections.”
The party said it is ready for elections adding that its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, “with his proven competencies, has met all the requirements for the election and is now enjoying the support of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians across all sections of our country.”
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