Tobias Sylvester
The National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling party (APC), Adams Oshionhole has accused the electoral commission (INEC) of secretly working with the main opposition party (PDP).
Oshiomhole made the allegation on Monday at the APC national caucus meeting held in Abuja.
He accused INEC of conniving with PDP to postpone the elections, adding that he can swear to the fact that INEC pre-informed PDP of the election postponement but failed to inform other stakeholders. He said
“From all we have now known, I can put my hand on the Holy Koran that INEC leadership knew that they were going to postpone the elections. They shared this information with the Peoples Democratic Party and advised them not to waste their resources, while pretending to us that they are on top of the situation.
“Anytime we raised observation, they were on top of the situation, whereas they were on top of this arrangement that was meant to create confusion across the country. I think INEC deserves to make an explanation to us, not because we are a governing party, but because we are a major player. Whatever information INEC conveyed to PDP, they ought to have conveyed it to us.
“Mr. President, what INEC is doing in collusion with PDP is to get PDP to be shouting that they want INEC Chairman removed and all sorts of fake attacks; that they want the INEC Chairman to go. If you ask me as APC Chairman too, I second Secondus. I have no difficulties seconding Secondus to have a new INEC Chairman, if that’s what we need to have a credible election. But this is a fake posturing, because in truth, when I listen to Secondus talk about removing the INEC Chairman, I listen to PDP rep, Chidoka, at the briefing and he was busy commending and congratulating INEC for the courage. If we commend people for courage for cancelling what was meant to be, what do we do when they are successful?
“So, all of these show the contradictions. Mr. President, it will be such a tragedy if, as a ruling party, we cannot complain of being rigged out, yet all the early warning indicators are there that this INEC leadership is up for a game.”
