Forty-four days before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to as a matter of urgency comply with the Court orders by substituting close to 130 candidates of the party for the State Houses of Assembly members, National Assembly and Deputy governors to enable them to participate in the poll.
The Party has, however, expressed confidence in Professor Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC’s ability to deliver free, fair, credible elections.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the NNPP National Chairman, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali said that it has become very imperative for INEC to carry out the replacement of candidates because the cases were expeditiously delivered by the courts so as to further build up the confidence of the political parties and the general public in the Commission’s unflinching and unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair and credible election in the 2023 general elections.
Alkali who also appealed to the judiciary to attend to the cases against NNPP candidates
speedily, however, urged its candidates to continue with their campaigns, saying, “All those whose names have been approved by the Courts, we urge INEC to take appropriate action.”
Meanwhile, the NNPP National Chairman while reacting to a statement by INEC that the 2023 elections may be postponed or cancelled over insecurity, urged the security agencies to go after those trying to frustrate the Commission in conducting free, fair and credible elections.
Alkali said, “I have said that several times, they don’t talk anyhow, so if INEC issues a statement like this, particularly this critical time, there must be a reason, so it is very important that we must listen to them. It is very important we find out, any anti-democratic forces that are trying to undermine this process, they should not be allowed to succeed.”
Alkali said, “We also as a party and the party leaders and people are looking at us and the only way is to go to the courts and they have also given us relief. That is why we are saying that all those people whose names have now been approved by the court as we are praying, pleading with INEC to do the needful. Let them process everything and they are going to continue with the process of our elections.
“We have invited you members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm to brief you on activities involving our party, NNPP, especially our court matters with the Independent National Electoral Commission. Our party has reasons to take INEC to court over disagreements on the issue of uploading and submission of the names of some of our candidates.
“Our great party, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) wishes to use this medium to express our appreciation and gratitude to the Nigerian judiciary for being the last bastion of hope for the people and a pillar of democracy and democratic processes particularly leading to the 2023 general election.
“We also wish to use this medium to most especially appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the able leadership of amiable Patriotic Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for its h sense of responsibility to the promotion of rule of law and commitment to conducting the most credible election in 2023.
“In the same spirit, we most humbly urge the Commission to urgently comply with the Court orders expeditiously delivered by the courts so as to further build up the confidence of the political parties and the general public in the Commission’s unflinching and unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair and credible election in the 2023 general elections.
“We appreciate the enormity of the assignments before INEC. We, however, believe the Commission should continue to implement Court rulings, the better for our Country
“We want to use this opportunity to assure Prof. Mahmood Yakubu of our confidence in him and his Commission to deliver a sound election that will stand the test of time. We, therefore, pledge our unflinching support for him and INEC.”
