LG election: SDP accuses Fintiri of dictatorship, says it won’t participate in polls
The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa State, has accused governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of destroying the fabrics of democracy through dictatorial tendencies noting that with such antecedents, it will not participate in the upcoming local government election in order not to give credence to the election.
A press statement by the party’s publicity secretary, Hon Ibrahim Ahidjo Karlahi said the claim by the state government that it is holding an election is a ruse and stands flat on its face.
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It may be recalled that the major opposition political party in Adamawa State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also declined participation in the election citing similar reasons. The party even threatened to take the PDP and the governor to court for circumventing the electoral rules with impunity.
Some of the reasons alluded by the SDP behind its actions include, alleged short circuiting of the electoral process, lack of preparation on the part of the state Independent electoral commission (ADSIEC), failure of PDP to conduct party primaries and imposition of candidates amongst others.
“On the advice of the State Leader of the SDP, Dr. Umar Ardo, the Adamawa State
Working Committee of our great party met yesterday and resolved to boycott the so-called Local Government elections in the state slated for July 13th, 2024 for the following reasons: –
“Virtually the appointed chairman and all members of the State Electoral
Commission are registered members of the PDP. In fact, the chairman of the commission is reputed to be a relative to the Governor.
“The State Electoral Commission does not possess till date any election materials such as Voters Register, BVAS Machines, Ballot Boxes, Voting Cubicles, Ballot Papers, etc. There is also no evidence at our disposal that the commission applied and received these materials from the national INEC. How possible then can an election be conducted without such election materials?
“From our experience in what transpired in the state during the last so-called local Government elections when no elections materials were taken to any polling unit yet results were announced, with the lack of such materials for the scheduled July elections, we are convinced that the state government will just repeat its usual shenanigans:
“The destruction of internal Democracy as evidenced in the ruling party’s
nomination process where lies were meted that Chairmanship forms were sold for ten million naira so as to discourage mass participation and no primaries were held but simply shortlisted names from the Governor are all pointers to what awaits every one in the so-called general election; and
“And a process where men are disenfranchised from contesting for Vice Chairman and Women are disenfranchised from contesting for chairmanship cannot be credible.
Both are simply imposed by the Governor, thus destroying the basis of
democracy in our grassroots.
“Because of the aforementioned reasons, and many more, our great party the SDP, cannot in good conscience participate in the charade thereby giving credence to a thoroughly dishonest, fraudulent and flawed exercise.
“Finally, SDP will hold Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and his cohorts squarely
responsible for the destruction of democracy and rule of law in Adamawa state,” Karlahi stated.
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