February 07, (THEWILL) – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said it vehemently rejects the confirmation of Prof. Rhoda Gumus, as a National Commissioner (South South) in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The party said Gumus is a card-carrying member of the ruling party, the All Progressive
Congress, APC, and said the confirmation was a surprise despite widespread outcry by
Nigerians.
The PDP in a release on Monday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba describes Prof. Gumus’ confirmation as INEC National Commissioner by the APC – led Senate leadership as a “coup” against democracy and an open invitation to serious political crisis that can derail our hard-earned democracy and lead to breakdown of law and order if not immediately reversed.
“In confirming Prof. Gumus, the APC-led Senate leadership has exposed itself as anti-people and completely insensitive to the aspiration of Nigerians for credible and transparent elections in 2023.
“The action of the APC-led Senate is highly provocative and incendiary because it is in violation of 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.
“Such violent assault on the Constitution and our electoral process by the APC cannot be allowed to stand.
“The media space is awash with reports of Prof. Gumus as a member of the APC in Bayelsa state with APC Registration Form No: BAY/YEN/08/58315 and reportedly as number 27 in her APC Ward Register,” PDP said.
PDP further said that “in nominating and confirming an APC card-carrying member into INEC, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC-led Senate leadership have recklessly violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which they swore to uphold and
defend.
“This action is designed to corrupt and compromise the electoral commission and pave way for the APC to rig the 2023 general elections.
“Nigerians can recall how President Buhari had earlier sought to impose his aide and card-carrying member of the APC, Lauretta Onochie as INEC commissioner but was stiffly resisted by Nigerians.
“The APC which thrives in impunity has again nominated and confirmed Prof. Gumus, another APC card-carrying member as National Commissioner in INEC in flagrant violation of the constitution and total disregard
for the Nigerian people.”
PDP insists that Prof. Gumus must not be allowed to be used to pollute INEC, saying “her mission is already exposed and our party is ready to mobilize our members and all patriotic Nigerians across the country by taking legitimate actions to protect the integrity of the electoral body.
“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.
“Democracy is about transparency of elections. Nigerians cannot believe in the integrity of the process with Prof. Gumus in INEC. Her entry and continuing stay in INEC will be toxic and taint the commission with bias and manipulations ahead of the 2023 elections since her appointment and
confirmation is unconstitutional,” PDP said.
The PDP therefore calls on President Buhari to immediately withdraw the appointment of Prof. Gumus as INEC National Commissioner in line with his oath of office to uphold and defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, saying this will assure Nigerians that Mr. president is committed to free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2023.
The PDP said it salutes and commends the efforts of the Civil Society which continues to remain relentless in the fight for credible electoral process from appointment of officers of INEC, processes of election as
well as the collation and declaration of election results.
It urges the civil society and all well-meaning Nigerians to continue to insist that appointments into INEC must be transparent and in line with the provisions of the constitution and other relevant laws.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
