Breaking: PDP, LP, ADC, demand cancellation of February 25 elections, describing it as flawed

Three parties — the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have called for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to step aside.

The parties said at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday that the election was neither free nor fair.

Persecondnews reports that the chairmen of the parties — Dr Iyorchia Ayu (PDP), Julius Abure (Labour Party) and Ralph Nwosu (ADC).

They insisted that they won’t be part of the ongoing electoral process at the National Collation Centre and demand that the election be immediately cancelled.

The call followed the staging a walkout by PDP, LP, and their party agents at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, after the INEC Chairman rejected the demands that the collation process be halted until polling unit results are uploaded on the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV).

Abure, who spoke for other parties, said: “We are therefore constrained by this development to state that INEC compromised the integrity of this election even before collation commenced at the polling units.

“Section 60 sub-section 5 of the Electoral Act says that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballots in a manner as prescribed by the commission.

“A failure to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the guidelines makes it imperative that all results recently uploaded on the IReV portal must be updated before they are announced.

“INEC went back on that promise…This election is not free and far from being fair and transparent.

“We shall not be part of the electoral process currently going on at the National Collation Centre and we demand that this sham of an election be immediately cancelled.

“We also call for a fresh election to be carried out in accordance to the laid down INEC procedure, we therefore call on Yakubu to step aside from his role.

“We have a responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who put their faith in us and our presidential candidates to defend our country from the forces that seek to tear us apart.”

Abure also said: “President Buhari, this is the time of great test of your integrity, use your office to save Nigeria from this electoral mismanagement and save your legacy, we call on Nigerians to join us in defending the democracy of our country.”