The Kebbi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming local government elections. The decision was made public by the state party chairman, Bello Suru, in a press statement on Thursday.
Suru accused the Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission (KISEC) of being biased, alleging that the commission’s chairman and all its commissioners are card-carrying members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He argued that this affiliation gives APC candidates an undue advantage, making it impossible to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
“You will recall that during the last PDP stakeholders’ meeting, we agreed to participate in the forthcoming local government council elections given the circumstances of the time. However, as things have continued to unfold and after wider consultation with various segments of the party membership and prominent elders, it has become necessary to inform you that the party is no longer participating in the Local Government Council elections scheduled for August 31, 2024, due to the following reasons,” Suru stated.
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He further explained that the PDP had raised concerns about the appointments of the KISEC officials with the state government and other relevant election management agencies, but no action was taken. The PDP now believes that it cannot trust the commission to conduct impartial elections.
In addition to allegations of bias, Suru criticized the electoral body for introducing administrative fees for candidates, a practice he said contradicts Nigerian election norms. “The Independent National Electoral Commission has been conducting elections for various offices since its establishment without charging any fees from candidates or political parties.
The Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission has introduced administrative fees for chairmanship, vice chairmanship, and councillorship positions as prescribed in the election guidelines,” he noted.
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Suru urged PDP members across the state’s 21 local government areas to remain calm and focused while the party reflects on its future at all levels. He expressed hope that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would eventually take over the conduct of local government elections to ensure they are free, fair, and credible.
In response, the APC Publicity Secretary in Kebbi, Isa Asalafi, dismissed the PDP’s allegations as baseless, accusing the opposition of withdrawing from the elections out of fear of defeat. “They only announced their withdrawal when they realized that the majority of their members had defected to the APC,” Asalafi claimed, noting that four PDP lawmakers recently switched allegiance to the ruling party.
KISEC spokesperson Hassan Yauri also denied the PDP’s accusations, insisting that no commission member is affiliated with any political party. “The chairman of the commission has issued a statement denying the PDP’s allegations.
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It is unfortunate that rather than focusing their energy on the polls, the PDP has chosen to make claims about events that never occurred,” Yauri said.
The local government elections in Kebbi are scheduled to take place on August 31, 2024.
(PUNCH)