Buba Galadima, a leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), has expressed regret over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) failure to hold political figures accountable during the early campaign.
Galadima reportedly claimed that although INEC has the constitutional authority to order political players, it is unable to do so because the people who pay the piper set the rules during an appearance on Arise Television’s “Prime Time” program.
The early campaign was initiated by the ruling All Progressives Congress, Galadima emphasized.
He claimed, “I have repeatedly voiced my displeasure with INEC’s failure to hold political figures accountable over the past six months.
Because the people who pay the piper set the rules, I came to the terrible realization that they are unable to call them to order.
“This problem of campaigning before INEC permits it was initiated by the current government.
“And this implies that, given the current political climate, INEC cannot serve as an umpire.”
The PDP has warned that it will oppose any attempt to sway the outcome or weaken the will of Nigerians, and it has called for the full execution of the Electoral Act’s provisions regarding the electronic transmission of results in the general elections scheduled for 2027.
Election results must be recorded and transmitted straight from polling places using the Smart Card Reader (SCR) or any other electronic equipment authorized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as required by Section 64(4), (5), and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The nation was incensed after INEC acknowledged that there were “glitches” in the live broadcast of the 2023 presidential results.
At a news conference in Abuja on Monday, Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary for the PDP, expressed the party’s grave worry over what he called “institutional manipulation” of previous elections.
