The People’s Democratic Party
Presidential Campaign Organization through its director on Media &
Publicity Kola Ologbondiyan, condemns the appointment of Mrs. Amina
Zakari believed to be Buhari’s niece, as the Chairperson of INEC
Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee.

The PDP reacts shortly after the appointment.

“Zakari, reportedly the niece of President
Buhari, is given the appointment by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu during an
inauguration held in Abuja on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

“Today,
we have been informed that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,
apparently in furtherance of the plots to rig the Presidential election,
has appointed Mrs. Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of the APC
candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC
Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee.

“The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential
Campaign Organization (PPCO) outrightly, vehemently and unequivocally
rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari,
President Buhari’s blood relation, as the head of the collation of
results, in the same election in which his uncle, President Buhari, as a
candidate, has displayed a huge desperation to win.

“The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, who
had been openly accused in various quarters as being the link person
between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to rig the
election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct violence against the
Presidential election and the PDP will not, in any way, whatsoever,
accept it.”

The PDP has charged the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to
withdraw the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as a collation officer to
ensure a free and fair election. – Ventures Africa

The world is watching Nigeria

Kola Ologbondiyan in his statement asks INEC
to see to a free and fair election because the attention of the world
will be on Nigeria when the General Elections commences in February.

He thinks having a person related to a
contestant can hinder this. As a result, he calls for the reversal of
Zakari’s appointment.

Buhari’s niece is accused of bringing about challenges in the 2018 gubernatorial polls in Osun State.

“We, therefore, call on all Nigerians and
particularly the National Peace Committee to note that with the
appointment of Amina Zakari, as head the collation of Presidential
results, the INEC Chairman is setting the stage for a very huge
political crisis, which is capable of derailing our democratic process.

“We also urge the United Nations and other
global democratic institutions to take copious note of this noxious
appointment by the INEC Chairman.

“If the INEC Chairman wants a peaceful
Presidential election, he should, with the speed of light, reverse
himself on this appointment.

“In fact, the PPCO reiterates its position
that for us to have a peaceful election, Mrs. Amina Zakari should not
be seen anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to talk of
being involved in the collation of Presidential results

“The PDP remains committed to a peaceful
and credible process, but we will never, in any way, allow anybody to
use any means, under any guise whatsoever, to rig us out in this
election.

“Not after it is clear that Nigerians have
attained a consensus to rally behind our Presidential candidate, Atiku
Abubakar, as their next President.

“All we ask for is a free, fair, credible
and transparent electoral process in which the votes of Nigerians will
not only count but will be seen to have counted,” the statement by the PDP spokesperson reads.