APC takes concrete actions to ensure free, fair election in Osun Aug. 9th
The
All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken concrete actions to ensure
that all the candidates in the Aug. 9th 2014 governorship election in
Osun State are provided with a level playing field and that the election
is free, fair, transparent and devoid of harassment and intimidation.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its
National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it had
challenged in court the powers of the President to deploy troops to
Osun State for the election and the power of the Inspector-General of
Police to impose a curfew on any part of the state during the election.
It also said the party had written to INEC to demand
a postponement of the election if the electoral commission cannot
guarantee that all registered voters will be given their Permanent
Voters Cards (PVCs) before voting day or in the alternative allow all
registered members in possession of INEC temporary voters card to cast
their votes in the election.
APC said the actions are aimed at avoiding a repeat
of the massive harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition
politicians witnessed during the Ekiti governorship election, and to
prevent any illegal lock down of Osun State, which turned out to be a
ploy to pigeon-hole opposition politicians while allowing PDP members to
move around freely during the Ekiti polls.
The party said the letter to INEC followed concerns
expressed by APC members in Osun that they have so far been denied their
PVCs under shady circumstances, a development that could be a ploy to
massively disenfranchise APC members and rig the election at source
''In the first case filed at the Federal High
Court in Lagos on July 15th 2014, we are seeking, among others, 'a
declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), it is ultra vires for the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deploy members of the
armed forces to Osun state for the purpose of the conduct of the
gubernatorial election scheduled for Aug. 9th 2014'.
''In the second case, also filed at the same court
on July 17th 2014, we are seeking, among other reliefs, 'a declaration
that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), and the Curfew Law of Osun State, CAP 36,
Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2001, it is ultra vires for the Inspector
General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to impose curfew
on any part of Osun State during the conduct of the gubernatorial
election scheduled to hold on Aug. 9th, 2014, or at any time whatsoever
in any part of Nigeria'.
''The actions have reinforced the credentials of our
party as law abiding and peaceful. Instead of resorting to self help,
as many would have done in the face of the many underhand tactics by the
PDP-led federal government to stifle the opposition and skew the
conditions in favour of the ruling party, we decided to embark on a
legal challenge of the unlawful actions of the government.
''We are not seeking any favour beyond that all
candidates in the election be allowed to have a level playing field, for
all registered voters to be able to cast their votes in an atmosphere
devoid of violence, harassment and intimidation, and for the election
itself to be conducted in substantial compliance with the law,'' it
said.
APC said popular participation is at the core of
democratic governance, hence a development in which registered voters,
most of them from the opposition, will not be allowed to vote based on
the incompetence of the electoral authorities is anti-democratic.
''That is why we have written to INEC to allow duly
registered voters to exercise their franchise on Aug. 9th, whether or
not they have PVCs or temporary voters cards. If this is not possible,
INEC should consider postponing the election until such a time that not
one voter will be disenfranchised due to the incompetence, collusion or
shenanigans of INEC,'' the party said.
It warned that the Osun governorship election must
not just be free, fair and transparent, it must been seen to be so by
all stakeholders.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Abuja, July 23rd 2014
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