Ondo Guber Watch: 20 political parties urge INEC to extend poll’s date

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

ABOUT 20 political parties have urged the security agents to prevail on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the November 26 Ondo State governorship elections, warning that political uncertainty, insecurity and lack of voters’ education were enough grounds for the postponement.

Delivering an address signed by the 20 political parties, the National Chairman
of Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said ahead of the election, there were clear indications of major political crises brewing unabatedly in a state known for peace, political stability, tranquility and harmony.

He said: “All patriotic Nigerians must be appalled and bemused at the political scenarios or tap-dancing unfolding in Ondo State these last weeks of the 2016 governorship election campaign.

“The gravely unfortunate scenes playing out in both the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Party (APC), in the state and the major opposition political parties are clear indications of major political crises brewing unabatedly in a state known for peace, political stability and tranquility and harmony.

“It is important to call attention to the situation and rally Nigerians around the great people of Ondo State to forestall the imminent danger of the looming crises that are enveloping the state.

“It is instructive that the “Do or Die” politics of the past must not be revisited on Ondo State of all places, given the education and political sagacity of the people. Both the APC and the PDP are engrossed in open challenges going into the governorship election this weekend, although the APC has been very sophisticated and diplomatic in managing and internalizing its challenges.

“However, a situation in the PDP where the INEC has been cajoled and intimidated into recognizing the two factions of the PDP is quite an aberration to our democracy.

“If INEC is brazenly intimidated into abdicating its rudimentary function of monitoring and certifying the validity of party primary elections for the selection of candidates, and instead acquiesce by allowing the court to arbitrarily pick candidates without INEC-monitored primaries, then our democracyis becoming gravely injured, needing urgent ambulatory care and political surgery.

“This is because some callous Nigerians of wealth may simply ignore all the electoral rules with impunity, approach the courts and obtain uncontested court orders foisting which will amount to blatant rape of democracy and handing out the “mandate of the minority” for the victor or winner, if INEC does not shift the polling date, as canvassed here. This uncharitable, uncharacteristic and inelegant testament of governorship election will be quite regrettable for a politically resourceful people of Ondo State.