APC faults INEC for not stopping PDP political rallies
(Nigeria )
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, for acting too little, too late by issuing a warning
on illegal public political broadcast and campaign, saying INEC's belated
action is highly suspicious.
APC in a statement in London on Tuesday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said INEC's action, coming after the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan have been campaigning
endlessly for the 2015 elections, can only be to the disadvantage of other
candidates and political parties.
''Is it a ploy by INEC to give undue advantage to the PDP
and its adopted sole presidential candidate, President Jonathan, in next year's
elections?'' it queried.
APC wondered where INEC was when the so-called
Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, was organizing noisy rallies across
the country, attended by government officials and designed to benefit President
Jonathan and his party, the PDP.
The party also expressed shock that INEC has been in a deep
slumber since the so-called Protectors of Nigeria's Posterity have been running
adverts on television solely for the benefit of President Jonathan in next
year's elections.
''When did INEC become aware that these actions are illegal,
considering that Section 221 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, which INEC quoted in its warning letter, says 'no association, other
than a political party, shall canvas for votes for any candidate at any
election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election
expenses of any political candidate at an election,'' it queried.
APC said what TAN has been doing all along is to canvas for
votes for President Jonathan, in a clear violation of the Constitution as well
as the Electoral Act, which bans political campaigns until 90 days before
election.
''Our party, joined by well-meaning Nigerians, had publicly
alerted INEC to these campaigns and the fact those behind them are breaking the
law, but INEC merely responded with some unbelievable sophistry. Now that those
illegal campaigns have run for several months, INEC suddenly awoke from its
slumber to issue a warning on illegal campaign.
''This is unbecoming of an election umpire that expects to
be taken seriously, an umpire that is expected not only to be fair but to be
seen as such, and one that knows its onions. This caution by INEC is coming too
little, too late,'' APC said
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