The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the administrative prohibition of open campaigns by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), indicating that it would resume campaigns for its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
This comes as a support group, Forward With Buhari has said it would reopen campaigns for APC Presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday.
It would be recalled that at a stakeholders meeting on Saturday, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had announced that there would be no more room for political campaign or collection of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) despite postponement of elections dates by one week. The Commission had earlier postponed the national election from February 16 to February 23, 2019.
However, the pronouncement has been greeted with mixed reactions. While some political observers say the INEC boss was only trying to prevent politicians from heating up the polity, legal practitioners like Femi Falana (SAN) as well as Kayode Ajulo have submitted that the unilateral ban by the INEC boss, contravenes the Electoral Act which stipulates the end to political campaigns, 24 hours to the polls.
Specifically, Ajulo who is the General Secretary of Forward With Buhari revealed that he would commence a solo road show for President Buhari on Monday.
“INEC, with respect should be ignored. I am having a solo road show for my candidate (Buhari) tomorrow (Monday) to activate Section 99 of the Electoral Act and to test the efficacy of the illegal ban,” he said in a message to our correspondent on Sunday.
Also, in a statement on Sunday, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, premised its decision to resume campaigns on the ground that the Yakubu’s pronouncement is in conflict with the Electoral Act.
The statement reads: “Our position is predicated on the clear provision of section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act which stipulated that ‘for the purposes of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day’.
“The clear import of this provision, in the current situation, is that given the postponement of the election to February 23, 2019, the 24 hours requirement for closure of all public campaigning falls at midnight of February 21.
“The PDP reminds INEC that whenever its administrative pronouncement conflicts with the Electoral Act, such administrative pronouncement must bow before the law. The party charges INEC to be appropriately guided while directing its members to await further directives ahead of its reopening of campaigns”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
