Politics

See Reasons Nasarawa PDP Plans Boycott of Local Government Elections

Published by Tope Fakinlede on October 12th, 2024.

See Reasons Nasarawa PDP Plans Boycott of Local Government Elections

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State has declared its intention to boycott the upcoming local government elections scheduled for November 2.

This decision, announced after a State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting in Lafia, stems from the N1.5 million registration fee imposed by the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) for each candidate.

The party criticized the state government for not amending the State Electoral Bill, which would allow for the announcement of election results for councilorships at the ward level and chairmanships at local government headquarters. They believe this oversight reflects an attempt to manipulate the electoral process in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement signed by Secretary Adamu Bako Ninga and Publicity Secretary Mohammed Hamza, the PDP highlighted the insensitivity of both the ruling party and the electoral commission given the current economic challenges.

The communique stated: “Requiring our members to pay N1.5 million for candidate registration is not just a financial burden; it shows a disregard for the economic hardships facing ordinary citizens and limits their ability to participate in the elections.”

The PDP also expressed concerns that without amendments to the electoral bill, the process could lead to widespread electoral fraud. The SEC meeting concluded that continuing with the elections under these conditions would essentially amount to endorsing predetermined outcomes.

Thus, the PDP emphasized that it cannot support a system that they believe is rigged against them, urging its members to refrain from engaging in what they consider a futile electoral exercise.