Jega, APC held secret meeting in Dubai – PDP ...Jonathan: I have full confidence in him

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

 

Let him deny it for­mally, then we will take it to the next level. Let him answer us as a campaign or­ganization. Before we made this allegation, we had done our findings. We don’t joke around.”

With those words, the Presidential Campaign Or­ganisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday accused the chairman of the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Profes­sor Attahiru Jega of plot­ting to tilt the result of the coming presidential elec­tion in favour of the opposi­tion All Progressives Con­gress (APC).

The ruling party point­edly accused Prof. Jega of holding a secret meeting with APC leaders in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, the disposition of the campaign organiza­tion seemed to run contrary to that of President Good­luck Jonathan who has ex­pressed “full confidence” in the commission’s chairman.

Jega’s spokesman, Kay­ode Idowu, told the Daily Times that the commission would not trade words with any political party.

In a text message reply to inquiries from Daily Times on the allegation, Idowu af­firmed the integrity of the organization and declared: “INEC is a dispassionate umpire and does not take issues with its umpires. A referee does not engage in fisticuffs with players on field of play.”

The PDP’s presidential campaign organization also reacted to the reported sup­port of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for Jonathan’s main challenger, Major General Muhamma­du Buhari of the APC.

It said that Obasanjo has only one vote and that he is entitled to his views.

The organization, point­edly, accused Jega of work­ing for the APC.

Its Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, posed some questions about Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to Jega.

He also alleged that Jega held a secret meeting with some chieftains of the APC in Dubai over how to tilt the result of the general elec­tions in favour of the oppo­sition party.

Fani-Kayode, who hinted that the PDPPCO might de­clare a loss of confidence in INEC under Jega, chal­lenged the commission’s boss to be honourable and transparent by publishing accurate information on the state of PVCs.

His posers include: how many PVCs are in the country, their location on state-by-state basis, when the remaining PVCs will arrive from China and how the Commission plans to distribute them before elec­tions?

On the adoption of Bu­hari by Obasanjo, Fani-Kay­ode pointed out that the for­mer president has only vote.

He said: “The former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is entitled to his view, but at the end of the day, it is going to be one man, one vote. We have im­mense respect for him. We will meet them at the polls. We will meet them at the field”.

The questions which the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation wants the INEC Chairman to answer are:

* Why are the PVC col­lection rates in the North Central, South-South, South West and South East much lower with the highest be­ing 57%? Is it because these geopolitical zones may be pro-Jonathan?

*Why does the North West zone which includes Kat­sina (Buhari’s home state) have the highest collection rate of 80%?

*How come the North East also has 75% collection rate when, in fact, three states in this zone-Adamawa, Borno and Yobe- have been under the attack of Boko Haram insurgents, a development that has led to the displace­ment of many residents? Did the Internally Displaced Persons come back there to collect their PVCs?

*Why is it that North Cen­tral zone, which includes states like Plateau and Benue that traditionally vote PDP, has a collection rate of 48% when North East and North West have between 75 and 80% collec­tion rates?

*Why are the PVC col­lection rates in the North Central, South-South, South West and South East much lower with the highest be­ing 57%? Is it because these geopolitical zones may be pro-Jonathan?

*Why does the North West zone which includes Kat­sina (Buhari’s home state) have the highest collection rate of 80%?

*How come the North East also has 75% collection rate when, in fact, three states in this zone-Adamawa, Borno and Yobe- have been under the attack of Boko Haram insurgents, a development that has led to the displace­ment of many residents? Did the Internally Displaced Persons come back there to collect their PVCs?

*Why is it that North Cen­tral zone, which includes states like Plateau and Benue that traditionally vote PDP, has a collection rate of 48% when North East and North West have between 75 and 80% collec­tion rates?

Fani-Kayode challenged Jega to deny the allegation of a secret meeting with some APC chieftains in Dubai.

He said, “Let him (Jega) deny it formally, then we will take it to the next level.

“Let him answer us as a campaign organization. Be­fore we made this allegation, we had done our findings. We don’t joke around.”

He continued: “Prof Jega should respond to these alle­gations of partisanship and ineptitude, and live up to his responsibilities as an inde­pendent election umpire. If he refuses to do so, we may end up losing confidence in him.”

Fani-Kayode similarly dismissed a claim by the National Publicity Secre­tary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the Ikoyi residence of the former La­gos Governor and National Leader of the opposition party, Senator Bola Tinubu is under military siege.by soldiers on the instruction of the PDP-led Federal Gov­ernment.

He described the claim as a tissue of lies, saying that, “Lai is known for lies”.

He further debunked that APC’s claim that the PDP government was planning to put an Interim National Government (ING) in place, pointing out that such is strange to the nation’s con­stitution.

But Jonathan expressed full confidence in Jega.

Jonathan, who featured on another session of the presidential media chat, also said that there is no plan to send the INEC chairman on terminal leave and appoint a new person to conduct the coming general elections.

Jonathan told the panel of interviewers that he had “full confidence” in Jega and commissioners of INEC, reminding the nation that he appointed them all in his capacity as president.

The social media had been abuzz with claims that the President plans to ask Jega to proceed on termi­nal leave, while a university don, Professor Femi Mimiko will take over.

The don is a younger brother of the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. Jonathan de­scribed the report as the handiwork of mischief makers. He gave assurance of his preparedness to hand over peacefully if he loses at the election.

Copyright: Daily Times