The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the confirmation of a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Rhoda Gumus, as a National Commissioner (South-South) in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
While rejecting her appointment, the PDP alleged that INEC deliberately intends to compromise the electoral commission ahead of the 2023 polls.
A statement by Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, on Monday, warned that Prof. Gumus’ confirmation by the APC-led Senate leadership was a “coup” against democracy and an open invitation to political crises.
The PDP accused the APC-led Senate leadership of exposing itself as an anti-people entity, insensitive to the aspiration of Nigerians for credible and transparent elections in 2023.
The statement said, “the action of the APC-led Senate is highly provocative and incendiary because it violates Paragraph 14 (2)(a) of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which provides that a member of the Commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity”.
The PDP informed that the media space was awash with reports of Prof. Gumus as a member of the APC in Bayelsa State with Registration Form No: BAY/YEN/08/58315 and number 27 in the APC Ward Register.
The opposition party alleged that in nominating and confirming an APC card-carrying member into INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC have violated the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which it promised to defend.
The statement partly read, “Our party, therefore, issues a stern caution to Prof. Gumus to, in the interest of peace, steer clear of INEC as there is no way she can function in that office as a card-carrying member of the APC.”
PDP called on President Buhari to immediately withdraw the appointment of Prof. Gumus as INEC National Commissioner in line with his oath of office and urged CSO’s as well as Nigerians to insist that appointments into INEC be in line with the provisions of the constitution and other relevant laws.
