Addressing PDP members on Tuesday at a town hall meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, Mr. Ojougboh claimed that the INEC chairman had appointed his special assistant, Muhammed J. Kuna, to singlehandedly nominate and compile names of collation officers for the presidential elections in the 36 states and Abuja without recourse to INEC state commissioners.
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Niger Delta, Cairo Ojougboh, has accused Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of trying to favor the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections.
Mr. Ojougboh, a former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, who alleged that Mr. Jega was compromising the conduct of the forthcoming general elections in order to rig out the PDP and favor the APC.
Addressing PDP members on Tuesday at a town hall meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, Mr. Ojougboh claimed that the INEC chairman had appointed his special assistant, Muhammed J. Kuna, to singlehandedly nominate and compile names of collation officers for the presidential elections in the 36 states and Abuja without recourse to INEC state commissioners.
Describing the development as worrisome, Mr. Ojougboh also alleged that Mr. Kuna is a bona fide and card-carrying member of the APC. He warned INEC against what he called an unholy alliance capable of jeopardizing the forthcoming general elections.
“The different political parties, in deference to various Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) should be given the free hand to appoint their collation officers for the elections. I want to also say that INEC’s planned usage of the card readers for the elections despite the numerous challenges associated with the electronic devices shows that Jega is up to something funny against the PDP and we must resist all its ploys,” said Mr. Ojougboh.
In a reaction to the allegations, an INEC source close to Mr. Jega dismissed the claims by Mr. Ojougboh. “It is all part of the well orchestrated and funded ploys by some interests to frustrate the efforts of Professor Attahiru Jega to conduct free, fair and credible elections,” said the source. He added that Mr. Jega would not be deterred by such attacks aimed at questioning his credibility and impartiality as an umpire.
The INEC source added that Mr. Jega made it a point always to consult with other INEC officials, at the headquarters as well as the 36 states, on every aspect of preparations for the 2015 elections scheduled to hold on March 28 and April 11.
Mr. Ojougboh assured the PDP members that the PDP would win the elections, saying that President Goodluck Jonathan had achieved a lot for Nigerians, particularly by executing people-oriented projects in the administration’s “transformation agenda.” He assured that Mr. Jonathan’s reelection would translate to a better deal for all Nigerians.
He urged all eligible voters in Delta State to collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to enable them to vote for President Jonathan and all PDP candidates in the elections.