The All Progressive Congress (APC), in its ongoing caucus meeting, in Abuja, to deliberate on the postponement of the February 16 elections, has taken far-reaching decisions and pronouncements that could affect, one way or the other, the rescheduled elections.
In the ongoing meeting, attended by who is who in the party hierarchy, the party chairman, Adams Oshimhole, who opened discussions and presented the party’s position began by admitting that 22 persons died during the party’s rallies in Port Harcourt and Taraba alone. He said 15 died in Portharcourt, and 7 in Taraba, besides the scores that fainted during the events. He however attributed the cause of the fatalities to the teeming crowd of its supporters and loyalists that thronged the venues and stretched facilities and the ability of security to control the enthusiastic crowd. Oshiomhole also observed that some of these supporters, though looked underfed, came to see the one they had hope on to change their lives and take them to the next level.
Oshimhole who poured praises on President Muhammadu Buari, especially for his stamina and leadership said: “We saw fanatical supporters, some looking underfed but were assured of your leadership ( Buhari’s)- they all turned up at your rally”, adding that the president surprised his critics as proved how strong he still is, by travelling round 36 states and Abuja to campaign and “everywhere he went you looked stronger, more articulate anyone… and your personal leadership at the campaigns shocked your enemies” Oshiomhole said.
“You delivered your message without mentioning anyone… It was leadership at its best. I am humbled with what I saw working with you”, adding that he was not sure he would be able to be like the president.
He said before the elections, APC was determined to ensure that its agents and supporters were properly mobilized to be present at all the 176,000 polling units across the country and that all necessary logistics were provided them to ensure they adequately man the polling booths and ensure that counting and collation by INEC was transparently done.
He expressed disappointment that in spite of the party’s preparation for the elections, it was shocking to hear INEC announce the postponement. According to him if Nigerians were shocked, one would image the degree of shock that greeted the party and the president who had moved to his voting place to cast his vote.
“As a believer moments like this are times of temptation, but only those who are weak will give up. We will not be discouraged. We are determined to put them to shame. Our commitment to democracy is not negotiable. We are reassuring …free, fair election must take place and we will not compromise on that”. Oshiomhole added.
He said the more he listened to the reasons given by INEC for the postponement the more he disbelieves them and becomes disgusted, arguing that there was no reason for INEC to take that decision having been provided with all that it needed to carry out the elections on the scheduled date.
According to him, there were ample experiences that INEC should have learnt from in planning for the 2019 polls. Though some have hinted at hidden agenda, Oshiomhole said he hates to discuss such issues but rather on the way forward.
The APC leader said the INEC timetable was not imposed on them and INEC was in a position to know what needs to be done and look ahead.
According to him INEC had past elections to learn from and make amends, pointing specifically to the Rivers, Delta and SouthEast, which figures he alleged were doctored in a bid to give President Goodluck Jonathan a lead when INEC reps in those states found out that Mohammadu Buhari was leading., to learn from and make amends.
He accused INEC of working with some external anti-democratic forces, telling president Buhari that he has the constitutional right to trigger the process to punish anyone who had compromised the electoral process and are working with anti-democratic forces to scuttle the democratic process.
Oshiomhole said INEC has a number of questions to answer, among them are when it would respond to its complains that it removes some Resident Electoral officers who have stayed took long in some states and who he said have been compromised by the state’s executives. He particularly mentioned the REC of Akwa Ibom state. He expressed shock that the more APC complains about these people the more INEC entrenches them in their stations.
He also said that it appeared to it that INEC shared the information that it would postpone the elections many hours with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) first before it went public with it.
APC, Oshiomhole said he is in support of the PDP chairman, ‘Uche Secondus’ call for the sack of the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu’, saying that the INEC leadership was up to a game.
On INEC’s declaration that campaigns should no longer hold before the new date for the elections, Oshiomhole argued that the electoral body does not have the right to make laws through administrative declarations.
He said APC would resume campaigns to reassure and reinvigorate its loyalists and supports and give them hope that the elections would hold on the new date, and if INEC protests they would meet in court. “To ask us as political parties not to go out and campaign will not be good for our party with a huge support. We are going ahead with our campaigns and we shall meet INEC in court”.
“PDP is planning to rig the elections, so we need to get our people to come out and vote; they should have trust and faith in the process”, he alleges, saying APC does not want staggered elections but that want INEC has done leaves room for suspicion.
APC said it was asking for another meeting with INEC for it clear some of the party’s doubts and suspicions, among them are what INEC is doing differently to ensure last week’s mistakes do not arise. He noted that last week INEC moved materials that were meant for one town to another.
President Buhari who listened attentively to Oshimhole, at some points laughing at the party chairman’s jibes at PDP, INEC and some of the APC members, who crossed over from PDP to APC, which Oshimhole said would be useful in unravelling PDP’s rigging plan, said he agreed with Oshiomhole’s submissions and had nothing more to add. He observed however that Oshiomhole was aggressive in his submissions. “Thank you for your aggressive submissions” the president quipped, “The chairman has said it all, nothing to add”.
He said he knew about the cancellation at about 4.45 am on Saturday and had to leave his constituency hurriedly for Abuja.
After the address of Oshiomhole and the comments of the president, the meeting went into a closed door session.
