Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the declaration and return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Tinubu as president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, the PDP asked INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Tinubu and cancel the presidential election declaration in line with its powers under Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022.
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According to the party, INEC in declaring the APC presidential candidate as the winner, acted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the INEC Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of the 2023 Presidential election.
The PDP held that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, clearly won the February 25, 2023, presidential election having evidently scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the polling units.
It reads in part;
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on behalf of all members of the PDP, rejects in its entirety the declaration and return of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The PDP demands that INEC immediately withdraws the Certificate of Return issued to the Presidential Candidate of the APC and cancel the Presidential election declaration in line with its powers under Section 65 of the Electoral Acts
The Party insists that INEC in declaring the APC Presidential Candidate as winner, acted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the INEC Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of the 2023 Presidential election.
The PDP holds that its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar clearly won the February 25, 2023 Presidential election having evidently scored the majority of lawful votes cast by Nigerians at the Polling Units.
Sadly, the election was marred by deliberate malpractices including the non-use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC’s refusal/failure to transmit directly the results from Polling Units to its Server/Website in flagrant violation of Section 60 (4)(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.
This violation of the Electoral Act by INEC as attested to by political parties, voters, Nigerians of all walks of life as well as local and International Observers, paved the way for the alteration, falsification, switching of results and allocation of figures in favour of the APC.
Consequently, our Party and its Presidential Candidate have commenced action for legal redress to reclaim our victory in the 2023 Presidential election.
We appeal to our numerous supporters in Nigeria and across the world to remain calm, resilient, resolute and steadfast in the defence of democracy and the victory of our Party in the 2023 Presidential elections.
