Ahead of the November 16 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said it was worried over attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to use federal might to gain undue advantage in the polls.
Speaking exclusively with Daily Independent, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said all eyes would be on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to ensure a free, fair, and credible election that would be acceptable to all.
While urging INEC to be guided by democratic ethos in the discharge of her responsibilities, Ologbondiyan said the PDP was confident of winning the two states, given a free and fair exercise.
As a party, we are concerned about the use of federal might by the APC but we also believe that INEC, particularly the chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has a responsibility to try to redeem what is left of his image and that of the commission by conducting an election that is free, fair, credible and generally acceptable to the people in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
“We believe he has that responsibility ahead of him. We are optimistic on our part that victory is certain if there is a free, fair and credible exercise,” the PDP said.
Earlier, in a statement, the party said that it had activated its grassroots structures in the two states ahead of the elections, while also adding that it was making efforts to reconcile aggrieved members following the primaries to select its candidates for the polls in both states.
