Plateau: Concerns over PDP chieftains’ threats to INEC commissioner

The threats issued against the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Muhammed Kudu Haruna, in Plateau State have continued to generate reactions with civil society organisations calling on security agencies to look into the matter. They said the threat to life of Haruna was uncalled for and should not be ignored. Rotimi […]

The threats issued against the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Muhammed Kudu Haruna, in Plateau State have continued to generate reactions with civil society organisations calling on security agencies to look into the matter.

They said the threat to life of Haruna was uncalled for and should not be ignored.

Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, told Daily Trust that the individuals that threatened its National Commissioner and by extension the Commission itself at the Central Bank premises in Jos in respect of the last court-ordered rerun election ought not to have done so.

“As it turned out, nothing eventually happened. It was an empty threat. Our National Commissioner is safe and our INEC office in Plateau State is also safe. However, party agents or representatives should desist from such action in the future because which it is uncalled for,” Oyekanmi said.

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Also, a prominent CSO leader, who pleaded not to be named, told Daily Trust that such threat should not be ignored.

He recalled that in April 2023 during a supplementary election in Adamawa State, a national commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, was attacked by supporters of a political party and that it took God’s intervention and security agents to rescue him from being lynched by the attackers.

“I asked you and you told me there was no attack on Saturday during the re-run. I would, however, like that a decisive action be taken against that person(s) threatening him (Haruna) and other INEC officials as seen in a viral video, to deter others,” the activist said.

Recall that chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, including the State Deputy Chairman, Captain Bitrus Goleng (rtd) and its Publicity Secretary, John Akans, issued the threat at the Jos head office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during the inspection of election materials for the rerun elections in Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency.

In videos on social media, the chieftains, while pointing accusing fingers at the INEC commissioner, warned that they would not accept the removal of their party from the ballot.

The Court of Appeal had while ruling on the election petitions involving the senatorial district and federal constituency, disqualified the PDP from participating in the rerun elections.

Daily Trust had also earlier reported that a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed an application filed by Senator Simon Mwadkwon and Musa Agah Avia, both sacked federal lawmakers on the platform of the PDP, seeking to participate in the February 3 rerun elections.

Senator Mwadkwon and Rep Agah represented Plateau North Senatorial District and Bassa/Jos North constituency, respectively, before they were sacked by the Appeal Court on the ground that their party lacked the structure to participate in the last general elections.

But while addressing the INEC commissioner in the viral video after noticing that the party was not listed on the ballot papers for the elections, the PDP deputy chairman said, “What you have done is a booby trap. What you have done is completely out of consonance with the rule of law which you want to make a case and which you don’t know. Is INEC an extension of Monica Dongban’s (President of the Court of Appeal) court?

“Who gave you the powers to exclude PDP? Go back and read those your laws. It is unacceptable. For us as a party, we won’t. When I say we won’t, I won’t complete it. It seems INEC is part of the insecurity that is killing our people in Plateau State because you don’t know the implications of what you have done today. That fight will continue. God bless you. You will see the end result. If you like, bring the whole Nigeria Army, the whole police to Plateau State. It wouldn’t hold. Rubbish, “Goleng said, referring to the INEC national commissioner.

Similarly, the spokesman of the PDP on his part, while addressing the national commissioner said “You are the problem of Plateau and we have identified you the National Commissioner of INEC. Let us see how you are going to conduct these elections.

“You have been our problem in Plateau. You either go back or do the right thing. Don’t take us for granted in this country. You are perpetrating illegalities. Is that the oath of office you have taken? Is that what the constitution said? Let us see how you will do it. You will meet us in the field.”

In all the videos, the INEC commissioner responded to the PDP chieftains with gratitude, saying, ‘Ok, thank you. Thank you very much.”

In an earlier interview with journalists, the INEC commissioner had while explaining the reason for the omission of PDP on the ballot, said the commission held a stakeholders’ meeting with all political parties on January 9, and was informed that the party (PDP) would not participate in the elections.

He added that the Court of Appeal judgement had also disqualified the PDP from participating in the elections.

Meanwhile, the PDP national secretariat has vowed to contest the party’s exclusion from the Saturday by-election in Plateau State.

Reacting to the situation concerning its members in the state, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, told Daily Trust that the exclusion of the party was the continuation of the injustice, and unfair treatment being meted on the party.

Abdullahi said the move would not go unattended to and vowed that the party will seek redress at the court.

He said, “What is happening in Plateau is the escalation of their injustice, greed and unfairness.

“We condemn it in its entirety and shall approach the court to seek redress.”