The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Friday that the appointment of Professor Joash Omupitan to head the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must end the ‘inglorious era of glitches and inconclusive elections’ in the country’s democratic journey, an assignment placing a huge burden on the shoulders of the Professor of Law.
The opposition party noted that while it would not question the constitutional power of President Bola Tinubu to nominate his choice for the position of the INEC chairman, Omupitan himself must be prepared to meet the expectations of Nigerians by conducting free, fair, transparent, and credible polls at all times.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, who gave the party’s position in Abuja, also challenged the Senate to be thorough in screening the nominee by asking ‘all the relevant and important questions voters expect to hear from them.’
He said, ‘Over the years, we have said we need to have strong institutions. The Senate and the nominee must know that INEC is critical to the sustenance of democracy.
‘The nominee will have a heavy burden and will help to reduce and eliminate the concerns that Nigerians have about free, fair, and credible elections.
‘INEC has been a beneficiary of so much goodwill, and the nominee must know that Nigerians will no longer accept excuses.
‘The idea of glitches and inconclusive elections is no longer welcome.’
Ologunagba also spoke again about the defection plans of several governors from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), clarifying that the PDP was about the people, not individuals or groups of individuals.
At least two governors, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Peter Mbah of Enugu State, have been rumored lately to be considering joining the APC.
Incidentally, Mbah is the Secretary of the PDP’s National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) for its Ibadan convention scheduled for Ibadan on November 15.
Douye, last month, chaired the party’s zoning committee, which recommended the zoning of its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, a recommendation that was eventually endorsed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP.
Ologunagba argued that it would amount to ‘unnecessary waste of energy’ for the PDP to devote time to the ‘distractions of defection’ when the party’s convention was certain to be held next month.
He added, ‘There is unnecessary attention being given to defection or no defection, especially when the defections are induced by the coercion, intimidation, and harassment of the APC.
‘What will make a difference in the 2027 poll is the insecurity that is ravaging Nigeria. People will have to join the PDP in rescuing the country from the APC, from the insecurity and the hunger they have caused.
‘That is why the APC is jittery. So, defection or no defection is not sufficient to derail us.’
Oyo State Deputy Governor, Dr Adebayo Lawal, who also spoke on the rebuilding of the PDP, exuded confidence that the party would bounce back in 2027 to reclaim control of the Federal Government.
Lawal, who chairs the Sub-Committee on Venue for the Ibadan convention, explained that the determination of party loyalists to strengthen the PDP was the main reason for the convention to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC) to steer the party into 2027.
‘Nigerians are waiting for us as an alternative. We will come out united and stronger to take our place after the 2027 election’, he said soon after the inaugural meeting of his committee in Abuja on Friday.
‘PDP is forming the next Federal Government of Nigeria. There is hope, commitment, and understanding.
‘Today, we came to inaugurate our venue sub-committee. The venue of any convention is critical to the success of that particular event.
‘We can’t afford to have chaos at our convention. We have divided ourselves into further 10 sub-committees to make our work easier and faster’, the deputy Governor said.
On its part, the Labour Party (LP) called on Professor Omupitan to distinguish himself in office by serving the interests of the majority of Nigerians and not necessarily those who put him in office.
LP’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr Tony Akeni, reacting on behalf of the party, stated, ‘He must choose who he will serve and the legacy he wishes to leave behind for his name and posterity.
‘He must choose whether to be honoured by more than 230million Nigerians who employed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or to serve the unconstitutional wishes and caprices of a single man, Tinubu, who appointed him.
‘To help him make that choice, Professor Amupitan will do well to reflect how more than 230million Nigerians at home and all over the world will forever remember his immediate predecessor, Professor Yakubu Mahmood.’