ATIKU Raises Alarm: Plans to Rig Primaries

ATIKU Raises Alarm, Says Jonathan Plans to Rig Primaries

PRESIDENTIAL aspirants on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have started to splash mud on Aso Rock, with the Turaki Vanguard, one of the political machines of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan, is plotting to rig their primaries.

Spokesperson of the Atiku group, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, claimed in an on-line statement on Tuesday to AkanimoReports that President Jonathan's camp was fiendishly exploring means to allow his aides vote at the presidential primaries. The current groundnorm does not appear to allow aides of the president and governors as automatic delegates.

The Atiku group is alleging that there are proposals by unnamed Jonathan strtegists, which favour the amendment of the Electoral Act, which will - if accepted, preclude parties from choosing their candidates through state congress or national convention.

For the Turaki Vanguard, ''this is not only evil, undemocratic but tantamount to eroding the powers by our people to elect their representatives and surrendering of such powers to some selected cabals. The proposal to us in the Turaki Vanguard is an attempt to short-circuit democracy and abridge the people’s rights to choose their leaders and is therefore unacceptable to us and any well meaning Nigerian''.

''Instead of state congress or national convention by political parties to elect their presidential and other candidates'', they went on, ''the Presidency is proposing that a party caucus primaries option should be allowed, with the National Executive Committee having the final say''.

According to the Atiku group, ''the Presidency has proposed amendments to Section 30(1); 31(1 and 8); Section 87 (2) and (5); Section 87(12(A and B); Section 87(13); and Section 134. The proposal indicates that section 87 (1 and 2): "A political party seeking to nominate candidates for election under this Act shall hold primaries to all elective positions.

''The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions shall be “For the purpose of this section, the NEC of a political party shall in addition to the persons mentioned in the Constitution of the political party include:- (i) Principal officers, chairmen, vice-chairmen of Standing Committees in the Senate (ii) Principal officers, chairmen, and deputy chairmen of Standing Committees in the House of Representatives.

''It is sad that the promise and efforts by late President Umaru Yar’Adua to give Nigeria and Nigerians an enabling democratic culture is being thwarted and sabotaged by President Jonathan and his cohorts by this undemocratic step especially the empowerment of party caucus to conduct primaries to pick candidates. It is unfortunate that most members of our party will not have a say on who becomes their flag bearers if this evil plot sells through''.

They are arguing that for the interest of the country's democracy, the National Assembly should reject these alleged proposals since according to them, ''we are worried over the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act because some of the new clauses, especially the one on party caucus primaries, are not in tandem with the demand of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). What INEC asked for was just more time not all these undemocratic clauses being suggested by Mr. President''.

The Atiku group claimed that they are also aware of an alleged backstage pressure on the National Assembly to do the bidding of President Jonathan in this regard. ''We hope that this country still has some credible legislators in the National Assembly who will read between the lines and save Nigeria from the hands of a new despot who has no interest in the democratic development of the nation.

''In this regard we appeal to them not only throw the proposals from President Jonathan to the dustbin where it rightly belongs to but ensure that Section 87 (8) of the Electoral Act is not deleted as proposed by President Jonathan to allow political appointees to vote as delegates during congresses and conventions for selection of candidates.

''If his proposal sells through it means that Ministers and aides to Mr. President will be allowed to vote as delegates to the detriment of other aspirants. This will therefore contradicts section 87 (8) of the Electoral Act that states: 'A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of nomination of candidates for any election.'

''We are aware that the recourse to party caucus primaries is borne out of fear that the National Convention will not favour President Jonathan but resorting to undemocratic means in kidnapping the PDP primaries is a sign of desperation and cowardice'', they said.

The group pleaded with Aso Rock to follow an honourable path than this dishonourable path by accepting defeat that awaits him if he ventures to contest the PDP primaries on time.

ENDS

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