The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration in an affidavit supporting his nomination form that his certificates are with the military, makes him ineligible to contest the 2019 presidential election.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, on Sunday, the party also advised Buhari not to allow his personal ambition to push the nation into chaos.
The party noted that by failing to write to the military authorities to release his certificates, the president leaves Nigerians with no option than to hold that he does not have the credentials.
Ologbondiyan said, “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.”
The statement pointed out that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not provide that affidavits could be used as a substitute for any candidate’s credentials, adding, “Moreover, 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.”
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The PDP warned the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, not to yield to pressure to manipulate the electoral process in favour of President Buhari. The party noted that the warning was predicated on an alleged secret meeting the INEC chairman held with President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, at the Presidential Villa last Friday.
It reminded Yakubu of the public criticisms that have been trailing his declaration that Nigerians should go to court over the certificate saga, adding that such statement betrayed an electoral umpire who is under threat and heavy pressure to abdicate his statutory duty of enforcing constitutional requirements for elections.
According to the PDP: “Allowing such siege mentality on our democratic institutions to fester will surely spell doom for our nation.
“Now that Nigerians have rejected President Buhari’s affidavit and insisted on his certificates, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is left with no option than to accept its self inflicted misfortune.” PDP said it is ready for election, claiming that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has met all the requirements for the election and is enjoying the support of the majority of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are tired of a deceptive, dishonest and grossly incompetent Buhari administration, which has brought so much anguish and pain to our nation,” the party added.
