The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted Nigerians of a clandestine plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to alter the newly passed Electoral Act 2022 to introduce clauses that will compromise the 2023 general elections.
This is even as the party extended the sale of forms and rescheduled screening exercises.
PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba said that the APC, having realized that it is running out of time and cannot meet up with the already released electoral timetable now seeks to frustrate and derail the ongoing electoral process.
The party said that it has it on good authority that the Buhari Presidency has perfected plots to use the APC leadership in the National Assembly to orchestrate an amendment to the Electoral Act to create an opening for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter its already released 2023 Election Timetable and Schedule of Activities to accommodate the APC.
“Our Party has information about how the APC has been mounting pressure on INEC to push forward the already scheduled dates for the 2023 general elections,” the party said.
The PDP vehemently rejected the plot by the APC, which it said amounts to shifting the goal post in the middle of the game.
Cautioning INEC to resist such a heinous design against our democracy, the PDP said that the election timetable has already been released, political parties have commenced processes, Nigerians have since set their minds on the election dates to vote out the APC and there is no going back on that resolve.
The PDP, therefore, cautioned the Buhari Presidency and the APC leadership in the National Assembly to note that any attempt to alter the timetable is an invitation to a serious political crisis in the country as Nigerians will firmly resist them.
While directing all PDP members in the National Assembly to be vigilant and firmly resist this plot, “our Party also calls on all lovers of democracy; the Civil Society, the media, Organized Labour and the International Community to stand against this attempt by the APC to derail the democratic process.
“The PDP will not hesitate to call out millions of our members, teeming supporters of our Party and Nigerians at large should the APC continue in this nefarious scheme.
“The APC should have nobody but itself to blame. It must bear the full consequences of its recklessness, arrogance, disregard for rules, order and gross violation of its own constitution,” the PDP said.
Meanwhile, the party announced that it has approved the extension of sales of Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms for all elective offices in the 2023 general elections from the initial date of Friday, April 1, 2022 to a new date of Friday, April 8, 2022.
“In the same vein, the last day for the return of already completed Forms as well as the Screening Exercise for both the State House of Assembly and National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) have been rescheduled as follows:
“Last Date For Submission of Already Completed Forms: State House of Assembly: -Sunday, April 10, 2022, by 6 pm, National Assembly:- Sunday, April 10, 2022 by 6 pm,
Screening of Aspirants: State of House of Assembly: -Tuesday, April 12, 2022. National Assembly: – Thursday, April 14, 2022. All other dates remain as already published.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the last day for the purchase of all Forms is now fixed for FRIDAY, April 8, 2022,” the party said.
