The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the composition and scope of the eight-man, in-house committee, set up by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to investigate the existence of underage voters, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.
The PDP also noted that the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) rose in staunch defence of INEC over the existence of the underage voters further confirmed that the ruling party had more than vested interests in it.
The position of the PDP is contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday.
According to the party, the panel constituted by INEC lacked credibility as it comprised of members of the same indicted INEC.
It added that they had been detailed to arrive at predetermined findings and recommendations aimed at exonerating the Prof. Yakubu-led commission and play down on the electoral implications of the existence of underage voters.
In rejecting the composition of the committee, the PDP also repudiated the scope of the inquest, particularly the exclusion of Katsina State from the probe, “despite vast evidence of underage voters in that state.”
PDP queried: “Nigerians have been wondering why INEC is afraid of looking at its register in Katsina State. Is it because Katsina is the home state of President Muhammodu Buhari and a probe is likely to expose cans of worms?
“Is INEC afraid that a sanitised register would lead to a massive drop in the voting population in the state and cripple APC’s rigging plan?
“Nigerians are also wondering why INEC has vehemently refused to include other stakeholders, including political parties, credible NGOs and Civil Society Organisations in this important assignment to guarantee its credibility.”
PDP said by excluding other stakeholders, INEC was not sincere with the sanitisation of INEC voters’ register in Kano, Katsina and other states where.
“INEC under Prof. Yakubu is already manifesting weaknesses and bias, which further confirms why it should not be trusted in the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
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“Consequently, the PDP and all aligning stakeholders will not accept any findings or recommendations from INEC’s in-house committee, as such will not reflect the reality on the ground regarding the contaminated register,” the party stated.
PDP insisted that INEC must be bold enough to extend the inquest to Katsina State as well as other states where minors were registered unless it wanted the world to believe that it had already caved into pressure ahead of the 2019 general elections.
It said Prof. Yakubu should quickly redeem his name by immediately disbanding the flawed committee and set up a more credible and transparent panel made up of political parties, credible NGOs and CSOs and extend the inquest to Katsina and other states.
PDP said Prof. Yakubu must understand that his allegiance was to Nigeria and not the APC.
It stated that INEC under him must not lose its credibility or be reduced to an annex of the APC and it’s failed Presidency, as such would be resisted.
