Onochie: PDP Accuses APC Of Side-Tracking Rules, Abuse Of Power

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately violating rules and human rights in the country.

The PDP said this was as a result of the ruling party’s attempt at justifying the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as a Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday.

The party accused the nominee of being a member of the APC.

The party said such attempts at justifying the nomination confirmed that the APC is the “brain behind the series of constitutional violations, abuse of human rights and impunity bedeviling the nation in the last five years.”

Onochie is an aide to Buhari on Social Media.

The APC had in a statement on Friday, urged the Senate to ignore “PDP’s selective criticism of Onochie’s appointment as INEC commissioner.”

Also, the ruling party claimed that a member of the PDP, Johnson Alalibo, is the current Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

The party in a statement by its Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said such “provocative, arrogant and disdainful display of impunity by the APC and its administration, particularly in the violation of rules and crass abuse of apparatus of power, like the police, is responsible for the growing tension, remonstration and social restiveness currently threatening our national cohesion.”

According to Ologbondiyan, the PDP was shocked that APC issued a statement to justify what he called the brazen violation of paragraph 14 of the 3rd Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which forbids a person involved in partisan politics to hold office as a member of INEC.

He maintained that after a critical analysis of the APC statement and other comments in support of what he referred to as “constitutional violations and abuse of rights,” no one is left in doubt that the ruling party, is bent on “triggering crisis and destroying the unity of our dear nation, seeing that it has no place in the future of Nigeria.”

He said further: “It is distressing that while our party, known for our strict adherence to rule of law and an overwhelming majority of Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly and state governors have rejected the offensive nomination and urged President Buhari to send a replacement to the Senate, the APC is rather seeking to set up Mr. President and further pitch him against already agitated Nigerians and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Our party finds it ludicrous that the APC in its wicked and anti-people enterprise, sought to divert attention from its atrocities by laying a false claim that some INEC members, including Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had links with the PDP.

“Such poorly scripted piece of fiction cannot sway Nigerians as they know that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was never a member of the PDP and that no member of the PDP has been appointed a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) while a card-carrying member of our party.

“The PDP however informs the APC that its failed diversionary tactics will never diminish the determination by the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians from using every means possible in a democracy to stop Ms. Onochie from being confirmed as INEC commissioner.

“Moreover, we believe that some voice of reason has reached President Buhari, who would not want to worsen the already tensed situation in the country, not to dance to the evil tone being played by the APC.

“Our party counsels a few credible Nigerians left in the APC to call the leadership of their party to order, particularly over its use of impostors, as spokespersons, to fan the embers of crisis and political tension in our country.”