PDP accuses INEC of undermining electoral act in 2023, vow to reclaim mandate

Samuel Luka, Bauchi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the country’s electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) undermined the electoral act during the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

Declaring a Special Retreat organized for elected officials under the party in Bauchi on Saturday, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, said with the new electoral act, Nigerians were convinced that the election will free, fair and transparent.

While congratulating the PDP family for the successes recorded during the 2023 general elections despite many challenges, the PDP acting National Chairman said that the 2023 general elections will perhaps go down as the worst conducted exercise.

“Nigerians had given hope that this election will be free and fair following the passage into law, the electoral act which made Provision for the deployment of technology to make the process more transparent”, he said.

“The combination of BVAS and electronic transmission of results was to ensure seamless accreditation and transmission of results but INEC simply chose to undermine”, Damagum lamented.

The party Chairman who described the 2023 political journey of the party as very crucial period in history, said how the Stakeholders navigate will determine the progress of the party in the nearest future.

“Let me also assure you of the party’s support all the way. During the litigation sojourn, we will leave no stone unturned to reclaim our mandate that has been lost during the 2023 general elections”, he pledged.

“We have done well in this election, we know it and we have the responsibility to mobilize like-minds to build a party that will be responsive to the aspirations of Nigerians”, Damagum added.

He said when the current National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party came on board in 2021, machineries were put in place to rebuild the party.

According to the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, the NWC conducted transparent congresses to ensure that the state Chapters were on sound footing.

“We organized a transparent and credible primaries which produced all of you here”, he said.

Speaking on the issue of National assembly, the party chairman said that the PDP been an opposition must work as a family in order to remain relevant.

“Every system is as strong as its members, the PDP’s resilience is once more been tested here, the growth of the party, going forward is in the hands of all of us seated in this hall, we must realize that our actions and inactions have consequences for the future of this party”, he advised.

“I call on us to uphold party discipline, support the party and also make sure that at all cost, you will be there for the party”, the National Chairman said.