The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released a statement saying they will reopen campaigns, after the postponement of the general elections, insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission erred in its prohibition directives stopping campaigns by political parties.
The Press statement which was issued by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said :
“After due consideration of the provision of the Electoral Act, PDP is set to reopen campaigns consequent upon the postponement of Presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC from the earlier scheduled date to Feb. 23, 2019”
Mr Ologbondiyan cited the provisions from the Electoral Act for their move to reopen campaigns, saying INEC’s directives stopping Political parties from campaigns, despite the postponement of elections, goes in contrary to the provisions in the Electoral Act. He said:
“The PDP reminds INEC that whenever its administrative pronouncement conflicts with the Electoral Act, such administrative pronouncement must bow before the law. The party charges INEC to be appropriately guided while directing its members to await further directives
The clear import of this provision, in the current situation, is that given the postponement of the election to February 23, 2019, the 24 hours requirement for closure of all public campaigning falls at midnight of February 21, 2019.
Our position is predicated on the clear provision of section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act which stipulated that “for the purposes of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day”
PDP rejects the wrongful administrative prohibition of open campaigns by INEC holding that such administrative pronouncement was erroneous, directly in conflict with the provision of the Electoral Act and is not backed by any other law in our country”.