PDP lays fresh ambush against election

There are indications that the national leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party might have perfected a fresh strategy aimed at stalling the March 28 presidential election.

Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday and Friday showed that the ruling party was actually the brain behind those who registered Young Democratic Party and that it may use this new party to achieve its objective.

The new party had on Thursday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the forthcoming general elections.

The party said this a day after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the commission to register YDP as a political party.

At a press briefing in Abuja, the party called on INEC to re-schedule the general elections if it could not accommodate it on its ballot paper.

It said that contrary to insinuations, the court did not order INEC to only register the party, but added that the commission was ordered to issue certificate and include YDP in the 2015 elections.

National Publicity Secretary of YDP, Mr. Ugo Nwofor, said there were only two options available to INEC, saying the commission could either reprint its ballot papers and include the party with a view to accommodate the party’s candidates or shift the elections.

Nwafor said, “If INEC does not have the appropriation for logistics for reprinting of its ballot papers then INEC ought to within the constitutional provision further re-schedule the general election so as to accommodate our party.

“In either of the two options, our party is ready, it has been a long journey for YDP; we wish INEC would explore the first option.”

Shortly after the press briefing, one of the brains behind the YDP was seen at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday evening, where he said he had come to confer with some of its officers.

In a confidential discussion with our correspondent, he said he had come to brief the party on the success of their legal work which made the court to order that the new party be registered.

When our correspondent called him on the telephone on Friday whether they were planning a fresh legal option to compel INEC to comply with the court order, he answered in the affirmative.

According to him, “Recall that I was at the national headquarters of the ruling party in Abuja on Thursday where I met our partners. We are working together to move the nation forward and deepen our renascent democracy.

“We have already fixed the dates for our convention and we would pick our presidential and other candidates for the elections. We expect INEC to give us a chance as stated in the court order.”

However, it was learnt that one of the strategies of the ruling party in connection with the YDP is to head for the court and ask that the presidential election be set aside, by pleading that the party was excluded.

“This is what we would do if President Jonathan loses the elections,” a source at the national headquarters of the party added.

But if the president wins, it was gathered that the party would not show any interest in pursuing any case in the court.

Nwofor, however, said that the party was interested in contesting the election, adding that this was in compliance with Sections 85 and 87 of the electoral Act.

“Because of this, the party has fixed its governorship/House of Assembly and Presidential and National Assembly primaries for March 26 and 27 respectively,” he added.

It was gathered that the party cleverly picked the dates in order to make sure that the election slated for March 28 does not hold or to make it have a legal proof for exclusion.

The party was believed to have known that submission of candidates list for elections expired 60 days to the election.

An INEC official said that the “commission and Nigerians are aware of the provision of the law on this.”

Nwafor, however, said that his party had commenced the sales of nomination forms due to the court judgement. He said, “We have approved sales of nomination forms as follows; Presidential (N15m), governorship (N3m), Senate (N1m), House of Representatives (N500,000) and House of Assembly (200,000).”

He described the Wednesday’s judgement as victory for democracy, rule of law and triumph over impunity.

It was however gathered that the national leadership of the new party was waiting for the commission to reach out to it tomorrow on the judgement.

One of their elders, who spoke with our correspondent, said that “we expect the commission to reach out to us and ask us to send the names of our presidential and other candidates.

“In the alternative, the commission can also reach out to us, discuss with us and we may say that we are not fielding candidates for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, which come up first.

“The result of the discussion will determine what we would do for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, which holds April 11.”

Efforts made to speak with the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh on the issue failed. He neither picked nor responded to a text message sent to him.


http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-lays-fresh-ambush-against-election/

This is quite laughable! And at the same time calls for sombre reflection. Why are we so desperate as a people to the extent that some will not will not mind playing the hatchet role of scuttling the general elections. Why is Africa so saddled with many shallow, myopic and desperate looters?

We as a people need to dedicate time to doing a research on this. It is now that elections are about to start after an initial postponement that a faceless group thought it worthwhile to use a legal loophole INEC overlooked to push for a postponement of the elections.

People kindly note that these guys did not challenge the reasons INEC gave for not registering them, they cunningly challenged the non-communication of non-registration after the stipulated 30 days. Govt agencies are ridiculously slow in correspondence due to different bureaucratic bottlenecks. It is this loophole that this irrelevant party wants to now use to destabilise INEC.

Funny enough, there is another angle to this. INEC as everybody expects is supposed to have appealed the judgement immediately and file for a maintenance of status quo until the determination of the appeal. But guess what, INEC claims it is yet to even officially receive the judgement let alone file it's appeal. Does that mean some people are deliberately slowing down the process of communicating the judgement to INEC so as to delay INEC from filing an appeal as quickly as possible?

INEC is yet to get the earlier judgement and the party is already getting ready to go to the courts again to get another order mandating INEC to comply with the earlier judgement.

All these are games actively supported by the PDP underneath to scuttle the elections. But they will all amount to fruitless efforts as the elections will hold as rescheduled. There is nothing the desperate PDP can do about it!

The INEC chairman has already stated it that the constitution is supreme! Though i'm not a lawyer but I think there is a legal provision in respect of a conflict between the constitution and other statutes/judgement that makes the constitution to have priority.

What this imply is that INEC can conveniently ignore this judgement and later claim in court that obeying the judgement will contravene the constitutional requirements for general elections and the May 29th hand over date.


Modified ***

I almost forgot... vote GMB/PYO to have the Nigeria of our dreams.

#Ihavedecided

#GeneralMarch4Buhari (GMB)

jokers

YDP!!!

"When 2015 comes, when they lose, when PDP loses to an APC candidate, and they try to jiggle it and wriggle it, then we ll know" - FFK


MY ADVICE FOR THE PDP IS TO SERIOUSLY AVOID BN "GBAGBOED-OUT" OF OFFICE..its going to be shamefuL.

not sure this PDP appendage know the content of the electoral act.

Fixing primaries when the deadline for submission of names to INEC has passed.

What really is the fear of PDP? From sponsoring a party to lay claim to the name APC to now thinking they can scuttle the democratic process.

Did they have to do all this in 2011? No. Moral of the story make use of the opportunity you have to do good.

After their primaries on 26th and 27th, they should also do their secondary on 28th and ask us not to vote or try to compel inec to shift the date again, na dat time PDP go hear am...

useless punch news
if GEJ rigs heaven will not fall kpata kpata to your tents oh Isreal

cocoduck:
useless punch news
if GEJ rigs heaven will not fall kpata kpata to your tents oh Isreal

One man one vote! That is what is going to happen. Jona will have himself to blame for any manipulation that leads to chaos and anarchy. And he won't still be given the victory. Nothing short of a transparent election will happen!

So have u now come to the conclusion that GEJ cannot win a free and fair election to the extent that you are now encouraging him to rig??

Pdp always beating apc to their games

They are backed by the president himself. Jona leave peacefully.

Even if AIT shows d video of tinubu and buhari stealing money, our foolish and brainwashed supporters will still vote for us! Imagine wad apc said abt dem supporters!
Dis shows how foolish apc thugs re, I pity dem and dem generations!

Wad is d correlation between pdp and dis new party, jega is trying to deny dem their rites, buh I trust ma amiable president, he will enforce d law and makes sure dat everybody is satisfied! Sai jonathan, till buhari promise to send tinubu to kirikiri!

When SR/PT brought us news about plans by PDP to use proxies to push for further postponement of the polls or outright cancellation, the usual suspects rained insults on them. Now the plot has assumed a life of its own.

PDP/ Gbabgo Jonathan would do anything to scuttle this democracy all together.

It has gotten to a point I wish Buhari could simply issue a press statement and tell the crooks that he's not gonna jail them, perhaps just recover 30% of their loot ( isn't that the trash they call plea bargaining?)

These guys are really terrified of Buhari's stance on corruption. They'd rather have the military take over than an anti corruption czar like the General.

Pa Buhari, please cut these guys a deal so we can have elections hold. They have seen the handwriting on the wall and understand how impossible it is for them to triumph.

Primaries for 26th and 27th. Just imagine the "shamelesness".

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Even if AIT shows d video of tinubu and buhari stealing money, our foolish and brainwashed supporters will still vote for us! Imagine wad apc said abt dem supporters!
Dis shows how foolish apc thugs re, I pity dem and dem generations!

This one as well has finally been reduced to troll.

Why don't you simply type "GEJ till Bleep" and move the hell on like the rest of the tandroids?

Why is PDP hell bent on disrupting this election? They claim GEJ is the best president we've had in Nigeria since independence, why is the best president and his party trying all foul means to ensure that their is no election?

They claim they will rule us for 60 years, just 16 years on and they don't want elections to hold. Do they want to hold on to power for 60 years without election?

ishiamu:
Pdp always beating apc to their games

You guys said Jonathan is the best president the country's ever had. Why in seven hells is such a wonderful man who's given this country everything she needs so afraid of contesting with a "tyrant", a "boko haram sponsor", and a "religious fanatic" that Nigerians despise so much??

Don't you find that questionable

seunmsg:
Why is PDP hell bent on disrupting this election?

I don't understand oh. I just can't fathom the level of desperation being played by them.

I don't know why they can't bank on their dollar bribes to deliver them victory.

Maybe they have have come to the conclusion, that despite the dollars Atiku used in bribing, Buhari still defeated him squarely. And they are already seeing the handwriting of their own defeat on the wall.

APC supporters should stop pretending as if their party is holy. Everyone is playing dirty. Afterall Buhari is not qualified to stand for election having failed to present his certificates.

You think unseating an incumbent president in Africa is by making noise on nl and Twitter baa.The games have just started

lolzz.....another way to stop jega....plan B

Lalasticlala seun obinoscopy

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Even if AIT shows d video of tinubu and buhari stealing money, our foolish and brainwashed supporters will still vote for us! Imagine wad apc said abt dem supporters!
Dis shows how foolish apc thugs re, I pity dem and dem generations!

dem don loose you this morning again? I dey tell dem ur pple everytime say make dem dey chain you.

agabusta:
This is quite laughable! And at the same time calls for sombre reflection. Why are we so desperate as a people to the extent that some will not will not mind playing the hatchet role of scuttling the general elections. Why is Africa so cursed with many shallow, myopic and desperate looters?

We as a people need to dedicate time to doing a research on this. It is now that elections are about to start after an initial postponement that a faceless group thought it worthwhile to use a legal loophole INEC overlooked to push for a postponement of the elections.

People kindly note that these guys did not challenge the reasons INEC gave for not registering them, they cunningly challenged the non-communication of non-registration after the stipulated 30 days. Govt agencies are ridiculously slow in correspondence due to different bureaucratic bottlenecks. It is this loophole that this irrelevant party wants to now use to destabilise INEC.

Funny enough, there is another angle to this. INEC as everybody expects is supposed to have appealed the judgement immediately and file for a maintenance of status quo until the determination of the appeal. But guess what, INEC claims it is yet to even officially receive the judgement let alone file it's appeal. Does that mean some people are deliberately slowing down the process of communicating the judgement to INEC so as to delay INEC from filing an appeal as quickly as possible?

INEC is yet to get the earlier judgement and the party is already getting ready to go to the courts again to get another order mandating INEC to comply with the earlier judgement.

All these are games actively supported by the PDP underneath to scuttle the elections. But they will all amount to fruitless efforts as the elections will hold as rescheduled. There is nothing the desperate PDP can do about it!

The INEC chairman has already stated it that the constitution is supreme! Though i'm not a lawyer but I think there is a legal provision in respect of a conflict between the constitution and other statutes/judgement that makes the constitution to have priority.

What this imply is that INEC can conveniently ignore this judgement and later claim in court that obeying the judgement will contravene the constitutional requirements for general elections and the May 29th hand over date.

If inec dare decides to ignore the court order, the security agencies won't because this is a government that stands on the sanctity of the law and would go to all lengths to enforce it.

midolian:
dem don loose you this morning again?

monitoring demon, wetin I do again ?

omenka:
You guys said Jonathan is the best president the country's ever had. Why in seven hells is such a wonderful man who's given this country everything she needs so afraid of contesting with a tyrant, a boko haram supporter, and a religious fanatic that Nigerians despise so much??

Don't you find that questionable

the gullible lotz won't.

Instead of blaming Jega who acted like an emperor by denying registration to a legitimate application eight months ago the blame game has now being shifted to PDP.

Let's assume it was APC registration that was stalled and this judgement. What would have been your opinion?

Jega/INEC is the problem, , that's the truth.

The last time I checked, the judgment can be appealed and that is what will happen.

Before PDP/YDP know what hits them, Buhari has been declared president-elect.

omenka:
When SR/PT brought us news about plans by PDP to use proxies to push for further postponement of the polls or outright cancellation, the usual suspects rained insults on them. Now the plot has assumed a life of its own.

PDP/ Gbabgo Jonathan would do anything to scuttle this democracy all together.

It has gotten to a point I wish Buhari could simply issue a press statement and tell the crooks that he's not gonna jail them, perhaps just recover 30% of their loot ( isn't that the trash they call plea bargaining?)

These guys are really terrified of Buhari's stance on corruption. They'd rather have the military take over than an anti corruption czar like the General.

Pa Buhari, please cut these guys a deal so we can have elections hold. They have seen the handwriting on the wall and understand how impossible it is for them to triumph.

Primaries for 26th and 27th. Just imagine the "shamelesness".

buhari will not cut any deal with any thief from PDP.. The crooks are all going to jail when the general wins the election.

@the topic.. Ydp are only wasting their time, election is going to hold on the 28th this month.. Gej has already been warned by the international community.

Ngwakwe:
Instead of blaming Jega who acted like an emperor by denying registration to a legitimate application eight months ago the blame gain has now being shifted to PDP.

Lest assume it was APC registration that was stalled and this judgement .What would have been your opinion?

Jega is the problem, , that's the truth.

Don't mind them.Jega denied registration to a legitimate political party and because of that the elections are going to be shifted again.

Whether they like it or not the new party must participate otherwise any elections conducted would be null and void

chukwudi44:
APC supporters should stop pretending as if their party is holy. Everyone is playing dirty. Afterall Buhari is not qualified to stand for election having failed to present his certificates.

You think unseating an incumbent president in Africa is by making noise on nl and Twitter baa.The games have just started

So you tanoids have finally agreed that your party is playing dirty. You guys now realise your GEJ will lose in a free, fair and credible election despite the way your lots grandstand here on NL. See, your party spent millions of naira to produce a dirty propaganda video documentary on BUHARI and Tinubu but still, the support for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket keeps soaring. That is to show you that nothing can stop the idea whose time has come. Change is inevitable presently in Nigeria and no matter the dirty tactics employed by PDP, elections will hold and change will be effected in Aso rock.

You go fear fear.




Who knows if this party is not been sponsored by the APC to validate their propaganda.

kastonkastrol:
buhari will not cut any deal with any thief from PDP.. The crooks are all going to jail when the general wins the election.

@the topic.. Ydp are only wasting their time, election is going to hold on the 28th this month.. Gej has already been warned by the international community.

International community ko internal community ni.These were the same people Abiola pinned his hopes on and today he is six feet below the ground.

Our laws and courts are supreme and final .No external government can tell us what to do