PRESS RELEASE
We Insist on Smart Card Readers and PVCs As INEC Had Promised
Abuja, 03 Jan, 2019: The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has noted with deep concern, reports that contrary to its promise of 2018, made at different times and in multiple locations, that it would not use the controversial incident forms, the Independent National Electoral Commission has backtracked and decided to allow the use of the unreliable incident forms.
This is unacceptable to the Peoples Democratic Party and Atiku Abubakar. Any decision to use incident forms in the February 16, 2019 elections is an attempt to toe the line of President Muhammadu Buhari, who thrice refused to sign the amended Electoral Act, for fear of the use of card readers, which would prevent rigging by desperate power mongers.
Atiku Abubakar notes that data from the 2015 elections show that 75% of the almost 14 million people who voted without biometric accreditation in 2015, were linked to Muhammadu Buhari.
There are no reliable and accurate means of knowing who those voters were and whether they were genuine voters or sham voters. This disproportionate number of voters who voted without biometric accreditation in 2015 affected the integrity of those elections and we hold the INEC to its oft-repeated promise not to use anything but the Smart Card Readers and PVCs for the 2019 elections.
We know that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has been desperate to avoid the use of Smart Card Readers and PVCs for the 2019 elections and the reported volte face by the INEC can only raise concerns about the voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau.
Atiku Abubakar reminds the INEC that the world is watching and Nigerians are alert to see if the present Chairman and board of INEC would place national interests above narrow oligarchic interest.
We further remind the Chairman of the INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu of his promise to Nigerians at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room National Stakeholders’ Forum on Elections which held in Abuja on December 10, 2018, where he said as follows:
“The commission assures Nigerians that the smart card reader has become an integral part of the electoral process and will be deployed for the conduct of the 2019 general elections. The commission has taken onboard the challenges and glitches faced in the use and deployment of smart card readers in 2015 and has made significant improvements and upgrade to the said smart card readers.”
Our question is this - what has changed between December 10, 2018 and today? Has Professor Mahmood Yakubu caved into pressures from anti-democratic forces?
At ₦143 billion, it is safe to say that more than enough funds were appropriated for the INEC to acquire and distribute Smart Card Readers, as such there is no reason for this 180 degree turn.
The job of the INEC is to give Nigerians a level playing field and an election that reflects the will of the people and not that of their oppressors. These reports do not incite hope. Not at all.
We once again want to sound the alarm that only the strict use of Smart Card Readers and PVCs can guarantee free, fair and credible elections that will be accepted by Nigerians and the international community.
Signed:
Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to HE Atiku Abubakar
Thursday, 3 January 2019
PDP Kicks Against Amina Zakari's Post at INEC
PDP Rejects Amiba Zakari' New Post At INEC
Gentlemen of the press, we have called you up again today
to alert Nigerians of another heinous machination by the
Buhari Presidency and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to subvert the will of the people and rig
the February 16, Presidential election.
You will recall that we have been raising the flag on how the
Buhari Presidency, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and
some individuals at the echelon of INEC have been seeking
ways to compromise our electoral processes and open the
way for the allocation of fictitious votes to President
Muhammadu Buhari, having realized that he cannot win in a
credible, free and fair polls.
Today, we have been informed that the Chairman of INEC,
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, apparently in furtherance of the
plots to rig the Presidential election, has appointed Mrs.
Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of the APC candidate,
President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC
Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation
Center Committee.
The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign
Organization (PPCO) outrightly, vehemently and
unequivocally rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of
Mrs. Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s blood relation, as the
head of the collation of results, in the same election in
which his uncle, President Buhari, as a candidate, has
displayed a huge desperation to win.
The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, who had been
openly accused in various quarters as being the link person
between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to
rig the election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct
violence against the Presidential election and the PDP will
not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it.
This is the same Amina Zakari, who headed the ICT
Department of INEC at the time that department was
accused of manipulating the INEC voter register to
accommodate fictitious, underage and alien voters,
particularly, in remote areas where they plan to allocate and
announce conjured votes for President Buhari and the APC.
It will interest Nigerians to note that this is the same Amina
Zakari that was alleged to have played some roles in the
2018 governorship election in Osun state, where the
electoral processes were flagrantly abused.
In appointing Mrs. Amina Zakari to head the collation of this
Presidential election, Prof. Yakubu has confirmed that he
has been compromised and that he has already succumbed
to pressure by the Buhari Presidency and APC to open the
way for the self-succession of President Buhari.
The fact remains that there is no way Amina Zakari will not
allocate votes to her blood relation, President Buhari, whom
Nigerians have indicated clearly that they are not ready to
return to office as President.
With Amina Zakari at the head of results collation, there is
no way votes cast by Nigerians will count.
We, therefore, call on all Nigerians and particularly the
National Peace Committee to note that with the appointment
of Amina Zakari, as head the collation of Presidential
results, the INEC Chairman is setting the stage for a very
huge political crisis, which is capable of derailing our
democratic process.
We also urge the United Nations and other global
democratic institutions to take copious note of this noxious
appointment by the INEC Chairman.
If the INEC Chairman wants a peaceful Presidential election,
he should, with the speed of light, reverse himself on this
appointment.
In fact, the PPCO reiterates its position that for us to have a
peaceful election, Mrs. Amina Zakari should not be seen
anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to
talk of being involved in the collation of Presidential results
The PDP remains committed to a peaceful and credible
process, but we will never, in any way, allow anybody to
use any means, under any guise whatsoever, to rig us out in
this election. Not after it is clear that Nigerians have
attained a consensus to rally behind our Prsidential
candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President.
All we ask for is a free, fair, credible and transparent
electoral process in which the votes of Nigerians will not
only count but will be seen to have counted.
Like Mr. President said during his 2019 budget presentation
at the National Assembly, the world is watching us.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
Gentlemen of the press, we have called you up again today
to alert Nigerians of another heinous machination by the
Buhari Presidency and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to subvert the will of the people and rig
the February 16, Presidential election.
You will recall that we have been raising the flag on how the
Buhari Presidency, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and
some individuals at the echelon of INEC have been seeking
ways to compromise our electoral processes and open the
way for the allocation of fictitious votes to President
Muhammadu Buhari, having realized that he cannot win in a
credible, free and fair polls.
Today, we have been informed that the Chairman of INEC,
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, apparently in furtherance of the
plots to rig the Presidential election, has appointed Mrs.
Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of the APC candidate,
President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC
Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation
Center Committee.
The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign
Organization (PPCO) outrightly, vehemently and
unequivocally rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of
Mrs. Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s blood relation, as the
head of the collation of results, in the same election in
which his uncle, President Buhari, as a candidate, has
displayed a huge desperation to win.
The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, who had been
openly accused in various quarters as being the link person
between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to
rig the election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct
violence against the Presidential election and the PDP will
not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it.
This is the same Amina Zakari, who headed the ICT
Department of INEC at the time that department was
accused of manipulating the INEC voter register to
accommodate fictitious, underage and alien voters,
particularly, in remote areas where they plan to allocate and
announce conjured votes for President Buhari and the APC.
It will interest Nigerians to note that this is the same Amina
Zakari that was alleged to have played some roles in the
2018 governorship election in Osun state, where the
electoral processes were flagrantly abused.
In appointing Mrs. Amina Zakari to head the collation of this
Presidential election, Prof. Yakubu has confirmed that he
has been compromised and that he has already succumbed
to pressure by the Buhari Presidency and APC to open the
way for the self-succession of President Buhari.
The fact remains that there is no way Amina Zakari will not
allocate votes to her blood relation, President Buhari, whom
Nigerians have indicated clearly that they are not ready to
return to office as President.
With Amina Zakari at the head of results collation, there is
no way votes cast by Nigerians will count.
We, therefore, call on all Nigerians and particularly the
National Peace Committee to note that with the appointment
of Amina Zakari, as head the collation of Presidential
results, the INEC Chairman is setting the stage for a very
huge political crisis, which is capable of derailing our
democratic process.
We also urge the United Nations and other global
democratic institutions to take copious note of this noxious
appointment by the INEC Chairman.
If the INEC Chairman wants a peaceful Presidential election,
he should, with the speed of light, reverse himself on this
appointment.
In fact, the PPCO reiterates its position that for us to have a
peaceful election, Mrs. Amina Zakari should not be seen
anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to
talk of being involved in the collation of Presidential results
The PDP remains committed to a peaceful and credible
process, but we will never, in any way, allow anybody to
use any means, under any guise whatsoever, to rig us out in
this election. Not after it is clear that Nigerians have
attained a consensus to rally behind our Prsidential
candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President.
All we ask for is a free, fair, credible and transparent
electoral process in which the votes of Nigerians will not
only count but will be seen to have counted.
Like Mr. President said during his 2019 budget presentation
at the National Assembly, the world is watching us.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
INEC's Haste in Defending APC, Suspicious - PDP
January 3, 2018
Press Statement
Rigging Plot: INEC’s Haste in Defending APC, Suspicious - PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) says the haste by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to haul insults at the PDP and defend the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the alleged pressure on it to drop the display of results at polling center, evinces that INEC is being compromised ahead of the polls.
Nigerians were shocked when the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, through his media aide, hauled insults at the PDP as “hallucinating” in response to PDP’s caution to the commission not to succumb to pressure and enticements by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to drop the result display and the electronic transmission of results to its main server.
In resorting to insults and engaging in a campaign of calumny instead of words of assurances to stakeholders, INEC has made a dive into the arena and accentuated anxieties by Nigerians as well as the international community that it is being compromised by the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
However, these needless insult of our party notwithstanding, we shall continue to hold the Prof Yakubu-led INEC to its responsibility to deliver a transparent, free, fair and credible 2019 general election.
It is also instructive for INEC to know that nothing will deter us from monitoring all the processes leading to this year's general elections and hold the commission accountable on every perceived infraction.
The PPCO restates firmly that on no account must INEC drop the display of results at the polling units and the electronic transmission of results to its server from its guidelines as being pressured by the APC and Buhari Presidency.
PDP Presidential Campaign also rejects any plan to use former National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members as polls officials as this will amount to handing over the electoral process directly to the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
Press Statement
Rigging Plot: INEC’s Haste in Defending APC, Suspicious - PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) says the haste by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to haul insults at the PDP and defend the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the alleged pressure on it to drop the display of results at polling center, evinces that INEC is being compromised ahead of the polls.
Nigerians were shocked when the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, through his media aide, hauled insults at the PDP as “hallucinating” in response to PDP’s caution to the commission not to succumb to pressure and enticements by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to drop the result display and the electronic transmission of results to its main server.
In resorting to insults and engaging in a campaign of calumny instead of words of assurances to stakeholders, INEC has made a dive into the arena and accentuated anxieties by Nigerians as well as the international community that it is being compromised by the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
However, these needless insult of our party notwithstanding, we shall continue to hold the Prof Yakubu-led INEC to its responsibility to deliver a transparent, free, fair and credible 2019 general election.
It is also instructive for INEC to know that nothing will deter us from monitoring all the processes leading to this year's general elections and hold the commission accountable on every perceived infraction.
The PPCO restates firmly that on no account must INEC drop the display of results at the polling units and the electronic transmission of results to its server from its guidelines as being pressured by the APC and Buhari Presidency.
PDP Presidential Campaign also rejects any plan to use former National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members as polls officials as this will amount to handing over the electoral process directly to the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
Wednesday, 2 January 2019
Nigerian Air Force Loses Helicopter In Combat Against Terrorists
Breaking: NAF Loses Helicopter In Combat Against Boko Haram
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Helicopter was lost in combat while providing close air support to troops of 145 Battalion against Boko Haram Terrorists at Damasak in Northern Borno State.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday night by the the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.
Daramola said the mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.
“The incident, occurred about 7:45 pm today, 2 January 2019. Details of the cause of the crash are still scanty,” he stated.
He however, assured that “as soon as the details of the crash are known, they will be made available to the public”.
Globalsentinelnews
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Helicopter was lost in combat while providing close air support to troops of 145 Battalion against Boko Haram Terrorists at Damasak in Northern Borno State.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday night by the the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.
Daramola said the mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.
“The incident, occurred about 7:45 pm today, 2 January 2019. Details of the cause of the crash are still scanty,” he stated.
He however, assured that “as soon as the details of the crash are known, they will be made available to the public”.
Globalsentinelnews
All EPL Results Today
Newcastle 0-2 Manchester United
Chelsea 0-0 Southampton
Huddersfield 1-2 Burnley
West Ham 2-2 Brighton
Wolves 0-2 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth 3-3 Watford
Chelsea 0-0 Southampton
Huddersfield 1-2 Burnley
West Ham 2-2 Brighton
Wolves 0-2 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth 3-3 Watford
90 Million Nigerians Live In Extreme Poverty - Atiku
90 million Nigerians are currently living in extreme poverty – Atiku tells Buhari
January 2, 2019
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having nothing to show for steering the ship of the nation for about four years. He said 90 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty under his watch.
Atiku took on the President over his remarks at the kick-off of his presidential campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on December 28, where he declared that he had fulfilled his promises to Nigerians.
The former vice president, reminded the President that a day before he made the declaration, it was revealed that the number of Nigerians living in extreme poverty had increased from 87 million to 90 million in just four months.
In a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP presidential candidate said going by rising poverty rate, the whole country will be in extreme poverty if Nigerians make the mistake of re-electing Buhari.
The statement said: “Except the President made a vow to impoverish Nigerians, it is hard to see how he could have fulfilled his promises with such pervasive poverty and hunger in the land.
“This is even as the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics revealed a week to the President’s unfortunate statement that unemployment had doubled from the 14 per cent he met it in May 2015 to 23.1 per cent in December of 2018.
“But the most blatant insult from the President was his assertion at Uyo that ‘we have defeated Boko Haram’. It was most insensitive of the President to have said such on a day that foreign and domestic media reported the entrapment of our gallant troops by Boko Haram/ISWAP in Baga, with as many as 700 hundred reported missing.
“Even more indicting is the statement from the US based International Strategic Studies Association, which revealed that the Boko Haram insurgency was lingering due to the massive corruption around President Muhammadu Buhari.
“How would those soldiers feel, how would their families feel, how would their colleagues in the barracks feel when they are facing a life and death situation and their commander-in-chief is impervious to reality?”
“And, for the umpteenth time, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to come clean on the faceless people behind Keystone Bank and Etisalat. Nigerians deserve to know how people who used to beg for N2000 transport money, as revealed by Buhari’s right hand man, Buba Galadima, are now suddenly wealthy enough to acquire multi billion dollar investments.
“Finally, we cannot wait for the presidential debate where Atiku Abubakar will talk about his plans to reduce the unemployment rate from 23.1 per cent under Buhari to single digits, because Atiku means jobs and Buhari means extreme poverty.
NEWS360.COM
January 2, 2019
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having nothing to show for steering the ship of the nation for about four years. He said 90 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty under his watch.
Atiku took on the President over his remarks at the kick-off of his presidential campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on December 28, where he declared that he had fulfilled his promises to Nigerians.
The former vice president, reminded the President that a day before he made the declaration, it was revealed that the number of Nigerians living in extreme poverty had increased from 87 million to 90 million in just four months.
In a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP presidential candidate said going by rising poverty rate, the whole country will be in extreme poverty if Nigerians make the mistake of re-electing Buhari.
The statement said: “Except the President made a vow to impoverish Nigerians, it is hard to see how he could have fulfilled his promises with such pervasive poverty and hunger in the land.
“This is even as the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics revealed a week to the President’s unfortunate statement that unemployment had doubled from the 14 per cent he met it in May 2015 to 23.1 per cent in December of 2018.
“But the most blatant insult from the President was his assertion at Uyo that ‘we have defeated Boko Haram’. It was most insensitive of the President to have said such on a day that foreign and domestic media reported the entrapment of our gallant troops by Boko Haram/ISWAP in Baga, with as many as 700 hundred reported missing.
“Even more indicting is the statement from the US based International Strategic Studies Association, which revealed that the Boko Haram insurgency was lingering due to the massive corruption around President Muhammadu Buhari.
“How would those soldiers feel, how would their families feel, how would their colleagues in the barracks feel when they are facing a life and death situation and their commander-in-chief is impervious to reality?”
“And, for the umpteenth time, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to come clean on the faceless people behind Keystone Bank and Etisalat. Nigerians deserve to know how people who used to beg for N2000 transport money, as revealed by Buhari’s right hand man, Buba Galadima, are now suddenly wealthy enough to acquire multi billion dollar investments.
“Finally, we cannot wait for the presidential debate where Atiku Abubakar will talk about his plans to reduce the unemployment rate from 23.1 per cent under Buhari to single digits, because Atiku means jobs and Buhari means extreme poverty.
NEWS360.COM
PDP Asks INTERPOL To Investigate Alleged Diversion of Military Funds
January 2, 2019
Press Conference on the state of the nation by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential Campaign Organization, Kola Ologbondiyan, held on Wednesday January 2, 2019
Gentlemen of the press, we have called you up again to address very important national issues bothering on allegations of diversion of military funds as well as a fresh plot by the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compromise the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the 2019 general elections
1. Urgent Call On INTERPOL To Investigate The Alleged Diversion of Military Funds By Buhari’s Family
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) calls for an urgent investigation into the alleged link between the reportedly diverted military funds and the N1.032 trillion said to have been used by President Muhammadu Buhari’s family members for corrupt acquisition in 9 Mobile Nigeria and Keystone Bank PLC.
The PPCO calls for an independent and system-wide investigation by the INTERPOL, Directorate of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the alleged links between the two funds.
This concerted investigation has become imperative following President Buhari’s failure to directly speak out on the allegations against his family members, as well as explain how they came about the sum of N1.032 trillion for the alleged acquisition.
We make this demand in view of public insinuations that the money may have been sourced from funds meant for the purchase of weapons for our soldiers.
More so, the Buhari Presidency has blatantly refused to respond to allegations that military fund is being used to finance President Buhari’s re-election campaign which even manifested in the use of military resources to produce APC’s campaign materials, including an electronic momento book by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali.
The PPCO is deeply worried by the disturbing videos of our gallant soldiers languishing and being killed by insurgents due to neglect and failure of the Buhari administration to adequately equip them in the fronts.
The PPCO is also unhappy by similar videos, showing our soldiers protesting and threatening to retreat from the fronts, while grumbling against their neglect by the Buhari administration.
This should not be the way to go for our nation. Our soldiers are brave and have continued to show the highest form of professionalism and unmatched patriotism in risking and laying down their lives in defence of fatherland. Therefore, any action by anybody that is capable of reducing their morale in the fronts must never be allowed.
The PPCO invites Nigerians to continue to be at alert and give all support to our fighting troops as the fight against terrorism in our land must continue to be a collective effort. We therefore insist on this inquest and urge Nigerians to give their support in this regard.
2. President Buhari Must Personally Respond To 9 Mobile/Keystone Bank Allegations:
Also, the attention of the PPCO has been drawn to a vicious attempt by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to use diversionary tactics to dismiss allegations of corruption hanging directly on President Muhammadu Buhari. The APC is attempting to dismiss revelations that family members of President Buhari’s involvement in acquiring substantial shares in both the 9 Mobile and Keystone Bank Plc that is worth over a N1 trillion.
We want Nigerians to note that the PDP had already challenged President Buhari to personally speak out on these allegations. We note that President Buhari had the occasion of the launch of his campaign in Akwa Ibom last week and his New year address to deny these grave allegations but he decided to shy away from it.
The PPCO unequivocally stands by its actions that President Muhammadu Buhari has soiled his hands on corruption enrichments and has resorted to sending his aides to put up frivolous defenses. We hereby insist that Mr. President should rise in defence of his best-selling point-assumed integrity-by personally responding to the 9 Mobile and Keystone Bank-gate
3. A Stern Caution To INEC Against Plots To Manipulate Election Results.
The PPCO cautions the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to immediately disentangle himself and his commission from the fresh plot by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to compromise the electoral guideline and pave the way for the alteration of the results of the 2019 general election to favour President Buhari.
We urge Prof. Yakubu to note that Nigerians are already aware of the pressure being placed on him by the Buhari Presidency and APC seeking to force the commission to drop the display of results at the polling units as well as the electronic transmission of polled figures to INEC server from its guidelines.
The Buhari Presidency is desperate to remove these requirements because the display of results at the polling units ensures that results posted at all levels remain those originally announced at the various polling units, while the electronic transmission to INEC server ensures that the results from the polling centers are not tampered with. PDP also demands that INEC allows both local and international observers to its situation room to ensure that the final figures are not tampered with.
The APC and Buhari Presidency are mounting pressure on INEC to drop the requirements so as to pave way for their planned alteration of results and allocation of fictitious figures to President Buhari during the collation process.
Prof. Yakubu must not succumb to the pressure of the Buhari Presidency, because doing so will definitely set him on a collision course with Nigerians.
This demand has become imperative in the face of allegations and public apprehensions that the INEC Chairman is being offered humongous sums of money, running into billions of naira, by agents of the APC and the cabal at the Buhari Presidency to accede to their demands.
Information at our disposal further reveals that the INEC Chairman has been under pressure from this group said to be coordinated by President Buhari’s blood relation in INEC, who, we are surprised, Prof Yakubu still allows around himself.
Prof. Yakubu is now counseled to distance himself from these very dangerous racketeers and the commission from this very dangerous racket, as Nigerians will directly hold him responsible should these two important guidelines that guarantee transparency in the elections suddenly disappear from the INEC manual.
4. PPCO Rejects Use of Past NYSC Members as Ad-Hoc Staff
It has further come to our knowledge that the INEC Chairman is contemplating the deployment of past National Youth Service Commission (NYSC) members for the 2019 election.
The PPCO totally rejects this ignoble intention which is a ploy to use APC card-carrying members as polls officers.
It is very instructive to state that the on going ASUU strike has not by any measure evacuated its members from the surface of the earth.
Therefore, if INEC sought to use the members of ASUU for the 2019 elections, the on going strike will not be an excuse to deploy APC members.
We totally reject these plots to thwart electoral transparency in 2019 and we invite lovers of democracy and global democratic institutions to show more than a passing interest in our democratic process.
On the whole, the PPCO invites Prof. Yakubu to bear in mind that all what Nigerians demand for is a transparent, free, fair and credible election that reflects only the will of the people, as directly expressed at the ballot. Any attempt by anybody, to subvert the will of the people will be highly resisted by Nigerians, in their determined resolve to elect a new President, come February 16, 2019.
Presented by:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization.
Press Conference on the state of the nation by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential Campaign Organization, Kola Ologbondiyan, held on Wednesday January 2, 2019
Gentlemen of the press, we have called you up again to address very important national issues bothering on allegations of diversion of military funds as well as a fresh plot by the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compromise the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the 2019 general elections
1. Urgent Call On INTERPOL To Investigate The Alleged Diversion of Military Funds By Buhari’s Family
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) calls for an urgent investigation into the alleged link between the reportedly diverted military funds and the N1.032 trillion said to have been used by President Muhammadu Buhari’s family members for corrupt acquisition in 9 Mobile Nigeria and Keystone Bank PLC.
The PPCO calls for an independent and system-wide investigation by the INTERPOL, Directorate of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the alleged links between the two funds.
This concerted investigation has become imperative following President Buhari’s failure to directly speak out on the allegations against his family members, as well as explain how they came about the sum of N1.032 trillion for the alleged acquisition.
We make this demand in view of public insinuations that the money may have been sourced from funds meant for the purchase of weapons for our soldiers.
More so, the Buhari Presidency has blatantly refused to respond to allegations that military fund is being used to finance President Buhari’s re-election campaign which even manifested in the use of military resources to produce APC’s campaign materials, including an electronic momento book by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali.
The PPCO is deeply worried by the disturbing videos of our gallant soldiers languishing and being killed by insurgents due to neglect and failure of the Buhari administration to adequately equip them in the fronts.
The PPCO is also unhappy by similar videos, showing our soldiers protesting and threatening to retreat from the fronts, while grumbling against their neglect by the Buhari administration.
This should not be the way to go for our nation. Our soldiers are brave and have continued to show the highest form of professionalism and unmatched patriotism in risking and laying down their lives in defence of fatherland. Therefore, any action by anybody that is capable of reducing their morale in the fronts must never be allowed.
The PPCO invites Nigerians to continue to be at alert and give all support to our fighting troops as the fight against terrorism in our land must continue to be a collective effort. We therefore insist on this inquest and urge Nigerians to give their support in this regard.
2. President Buhari Must Personally Respond To 9 Mobile/Keystone Bank Allegations:
Also, the attention of the PPCO has been drawn to a vicious attempt by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to use diversionary tactics to dismiss allegations of corruption hanging directly on President Muhammadu Buhari. The APC is attempting to dismiss revelations that family members of President Buhari’s involvement in acquiring substantial shares in both the 9 Mobile and Keystone Bank Plc that is worth over a N1 trillion.
We want Nigerians to note that the PDP had already challenged President Buhari to personally speak out on these allegations. We note that President Buhari had the occasion of the launch of his campaign in Akwa Ibom last week and his New year address to deny these grave allegations but he decided to shy away from it.
The PPCO unequivocally stands by its actions that President Muhammadu Buhari has soiled his hands on corruption enrichments and has resorted to sending his aides to put up frivolous defenses. We hereby insist that Mr. President should rise in defence of his best-selling point-assumed integrity-by personally responding to the 9 Mobile and Keystone Bank-gate
3. A Stern Caution To INEC Against Plots To Manipulate Election Results.
The PPCO cautions the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to immediately disentangle himself and his commission from the fresh plot by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to compromise the electoral guideline and pave the way for the alteration of the results of the 2019 general election to favour President Buhari.
We urge Prof. Yakubu to note that Nigerians are already aware of the pressure being placed on him by the Buhari Presidency and APC seeking to force the commission to drop the display of results at the polling units as well as the electronic transmission of polled figures to INEC server from its guidelines.
The Buhari Presidency is desperate to remove these requirements because the display of results at the polling units ensures that results posted at all levels remain those originally announced at the various polling units, while the electronic transmission to INEC server ensures that the results from the polling centers are not tampered with. PDP also demands that INEC allows both local and international observers to its situation room to ensure that the final figures are not tampered with.
The APC and Buhari Presidency are mounting pressure on INEC to drop the requirements so as to pave way for their planned alteration of results and allocation of fictitious figures to President Buhari during the collation process.
Prof. Yakubu must not succumb to the pressure of the Buhari Presidency, because doing so will definitely set him on a collision course with Nigerians.
This demand has become imperative in the face of allegations and public apprehensions that the INEC Chairman is being offered humongous sums of money, running into billions of naira, by agents of the APC and the cabal at the Buhari Presidency to accede to their demands.
Information at our disposal further reveals that the INEC Chairman has been under pressure from this group said to be coordinated by President Buhari’s blood relation in INEC, who, we are surprised, Prof Yakubu still allows around himself.
Prof. Yakubu is now counseled to distance himself from these very dangerous racketeers and the commission from this very dangerous racket, as Nigerians will directly hold him responsible should these two important guidelines that guarantee transparency in the elections suddenly disappear from the INEC manual.
4. PPCO Rejects Use of Past NYSC Members as Ad-Hoc Staff
It has further come to our knowledge that the INEC Chairman is contemplating the deployment of past National Youth Service Commission (NYSC) members for the 2019 election.
The PPCO totally rejects this ignoble intention which is a ploy to use APC card-carrying members as polls officers.
It is very instructive to state that the on going ASUU strike has not by any measure evacuated its members from the surface of the earth.
Therefore, if INEC sought to use the members of ASUU for the 2019 elections, the on going strike will not be an excuse to deploy APC members.
We totally reject these plots to thwart electoral transparency in 2019 and we invite lovers of democracy and global democratic institutions to show more than a passing interest in our democratic process.
On the whole, the PPCO invites Prof. Yakubu to bear in mind that all what Nigerians demand for is a transparent, free, fair and credible election that reflects only the will of the people, as directly expressed at the ballot. Any attempt by anybody, to subvert the will of the people will be highly resisted by Nigerians, in their determined resolve to elect a new President, come February 16, 2019.
Presented by:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization.
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