Atiku Abubakar
According to a report by The Punch, about 60 presidential
candidates in the 2019 general elections have faulted the Peoples
Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over the
controversy surrounding the use of a server, describing it as
unnecessary.
They also criticised the report of European Union Election
Observer Mission which alleged a lack of transparency in the guidelines
of election.
The parties under the aegis of Joint Forum of 60 Presidential
Candidates and National Chairmen, at a press conference addressed by
Alhaji Mohammed Shittu, said the Independent National Electoral
Commission did creditably well.
The event was also attended by the Co-Convener of the forum and
chairman of West African Coalition of Political Parties, Chief Perry
Opara.
Shittu said, “We reiterate that the INEC server controversy is
unnecessary. It is a plot to discredit the election as political parties
never agreed with INEC in any of the several pre-election meetings that
results will be transmitted electronically.
“Parties agreed on a lot of issues with the commission and
those were implemented. It is worrisome that only one political party
out of 91 is saying a different thing on the presidential election while
at the same time praising its performance on the other elections,
especially governorship, conducted by the same INEC.
“INEC consulted widely and extensively, and together with
stakeholders of which we are a part of, came up with the guidelines for
the conduct of the 2019 general elections, which the commission followed
to the letter. We recall that nine out of the eleven points for
consideration we raised as candidates under the auspices of the
Inter-Party Advisory Council and Coalition of United Political Parties
respectively were adopted by the Commission. How then can the EU-EOM
accuse the commission of a lack of transparency in putting up guidelines
for the elections?
“Therefore, the report of the EU-EOM released over a week ago
wherein they alleged a lack of transparency in the guidelines of
election is bewildering. With all due respect to the EU-EOM, it is left
to Nigerians to decide how we conducted our 2019 general elections.
“Going forward, we would like to urge President Muhammadu
Buhari to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment into law once it
is presented to him again by the National Assembly. That amendment will
hugely improve our electoral system and its processes.”