Underage voters: PDP rejects INEC’s 8-man committee, queries exclusion of Katsina in inquest
Mahmoud Yakubu, INEC boss
The leading opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Sunday it has rejected the composition and scope of the eight-man, in-house committee, set up by
the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to investigate the existence of underage voters, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.
The party in a press release on Sunday which was made available to The Niche said it noted that the ruling “All Progressives Congress (APC) rose in staunch defence of INEC over the existence of the underage voters..”
It contended that such unsolicited defence “confirmed that the ruling party has more than vested interests in the illegality.”
“At any rate, who enjoys the company of fleas like one with an open sore?” the PDP further noted in the statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday.
Underage voters
According to the party, “The panel constituted by INEC lacks credibility as it comprises of members of the same indicted INEC,” adding that “they have been detailed to arrive at predetermined findings and recommendations aimed at exonerating the Prof. Yakubu-led commission and play down on the electoral implications of the existence of underage voters.”
“In rejecting the composition of the committee, the PDP also repudiates
the scope of the inquest, particularly the exclusion of Katsina State
from the probe, despite vast evidence of underage voters in that state.
“Nigerians have been wondering why INEC is afraid of looking at its
register in Katsina State. Is it because Katsina is the home state of
President Muhammadu Buhari and a probe is likely to expose cans of
worms?
“Is INEC afraid that a sanitized register would lead to a massive drop in
the voting population in the state and cripple APC’s rigging plan?
“Nigerians are also wondering why INEC has vehemently refused to include
other stakeholders, including political parties, credible NGOs and Civil
Society Organizations in this important assignment to guarantee its
credibility.
“We hold that by excluding other stakeholders, INEC is definitely not
sincere with the sanitization of INEC voters’ register in Kano, Katsina
and other states where, out of intimidation, it is allowing the
registration of minors.
“INEC under Prof. Yakubu is already manifesting weaknesses and bias,
which further confirms why it should not be trusted in the conduct of
the 2019 general elections.
“Consequently, the PDP and all aligning stakeholders will not accept any
findings or recommendations from INEC’s in-house committee, as such will
not reflect the reality on the ground regarding the contaminated
register.
“Furthermore, we insist that INEC must be bold enough to extend the
inquest to Katsina State as well as other states where minors were
registered unless it wants the world to believe that it had already
caved in to pressure ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The PDP therefore charges Prof. Yakubu to quickly redeem his name by
immediately disbanding the flawed committee and set up a more credible
and transparent panel made up of political parties, credible NGOs and
CSOs and extend the inquest to Katsina and other states.
“Prof. Yakubu must understand that his allegiance is to Nigeria and not
the APC. INEC under him must not lose its credibility or be reduced to
an annex of the APC and it’s failed Presidency, as such would be
resisted.
“Indeed, Nigerians would not accept anything short of a credible, free
and fair general elections in 2019 and any attempt by any one to pander
towards the rejected APC with a view to subvert the determined will of