The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and other political parties have disagreed with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) saying they will resume electioneering following the postponement of the 2019 general elections which would have kicked off on February 16 with the presidential and national assembly elections.
Reacting through its national publicity secretary and director of its presidential campaign organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said commission erred in its prohibition directives.
The party based its argument on the provisions of section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act to reopen its campaign.
“For the purposes of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
The clear import of this provision, in the current situation, is that given the postponement of the election to February 23, 2019, the 24 hours requirement for closure of all public campaigning falls at midnight of February 21.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after due consideration of the provision of the Electoral Act, is set to reopen its open campaigns consequent upon the postponement of Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the earlier scheduled date of February 16 to February 23, 2019,” said Ologbondiyan.
For his part, the national chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole said the party would proceed with its campaign.
“Without consulting INEC, we are proceeding and they cannot by administrative fiat change the provisions of the laws,” he said.
