[size=14pt]INEC: PDP disputes Jonathan’s claim on Jega’s appointment[/size]
By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja   
Saturday, 26 Jun 2010   

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has disputed a report credited to President Goodluck Jonathan that the top hierarchy of the party is not happy with his appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

A News Agency of Nigeria report carried by most Nigerian dailies on Friday, quoted President Jonathan as saying in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday that party officials didn’t want Jonathan to appoint an independent minded candidate. ”When we nominated Prof. Attahiru Jega as the INEC Chairman, some members of our party came to me asking, ‘Jonathan do you want PDP to win these elections?‘

”They said the nominee is a radical who will not succumb to any pressure. I told them that we must work hard and as well present the best candidates because there would be no room for manipulations.
”Whoever emerges as winners of the election at the federal and state levels, irrespective of party affiliation, shall be declared winner.”

But in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Ahmed Alkali, on Friday, the party said it was not afraid of Jega as the new INEC boss.

To show its support, Alkali said the party was among the first political parties to congratulate Jega immediately his appointment was approved by the National Council of States.

The PDP said it was of the opinion that the President was quoted out of contest.

The statement reads, ”Our attention has been drawn to screaming headlines in some newspapers alleging that the PDP is scared of Prof. Attahiru Jega‘s choice as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

”Contrary to the insinuation in the reports, the Peoples Democratic Party welcomes the nomination and confirmation of Prof. Jega in view of his unblemished reputation as a patriotic Nigerian, distinguished scholar and an accomplished administrator. It is in recognition of all these that the PDP was among the first to congratulate him when his nomination was announced.

”We wish to state categorically that President Goodluck Jonathan was quoted completely out of context during his interaction with the Nigerian Community in Canada.

”We wish to reiterate that Prof. Jega‘s choice is further proof of President Goodluck Jonathan‘s commitment to free, fair and credible elections.

”We wish to re-emphasise here that the Party is excited with (sic) the new team at INEC and will give every necessary support to ensure that they succeed in giving Nigerians an electoral system that is durable and credible.”

Meanwhile, the PDP has also expressed regret over the sudden death of its former national secretary, Chief Bernard Eze, who died on Thursday in Abuja.

Eze, who was also a national auditor of the party, was among those who aspired to replace the party‘s former national chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, until the emergence of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo few days ago.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006262571050

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The PDP said it was of the opinion that the President was quoted out of contest. . .

Helloo! If Jonathan has not said he was quoted out of context, who is a third party to do so?
Methinks some of our political sabre tooths are about to be defanged! . . .And they dread the prospect!

If Jonathan made such a comment while in Canada to foreign media, then that is low.

Kobojunkie:

If Jonathan made such a comment while in Canada to foreign media, then that is low.

Rubbish.

@topic
It would seem that waving the torch of freedom is the most powerful weapon against Nigeria's deeply entrenched corrupt forces. Lets have free & credible elections without any powerful rigging machines and we would see how long those professional leaches and thieves will remain.