•PRP rejects commission’s demand
THE N72 billion being requested by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has generated heat in Delta State.
Although various political parties, especially the Action Congress (AC), and other pressure groups have hailed the demand, it was said to be against the economic, political and social stability of the nation.
Comrade Emmanuel Ogbini, 2007 governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the state, yesterday in a 13-point statement described the request as a “monumental national fraud and call for anarchy.”
Ogbini berated former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the AC and many civil society organisations for mounting pressure on the Federal Government and National Assembly to approve the money.
He said: “The call by Tinubu, his AC and civil society groups for postponement of the election is a call for anarchy, threat to national stability and termination of democracy. This is callous, unpatriotic and selfish, especially given the fact that during the South-West zone underserved eight years turn (1999 – 2007), majority of the leaders of these groups stood vehemently against any attempt by INEC to postpone elections despite very difficult political crisis, ethnic tensions, high profile gruesome murders and assassinations, such as that of Chief Bola Ige and Chief Marshall Harry.”
He continued: “In the light of the obvious dire consequences the above have on the economic, political and social stability of our nation, Prof. Attahiru Jega and his team of INEC have shown to all well-meaning Nigerians and our international friends for democracy that this INEC is not any different from the previous ones, lacking in integrity, probity, patriotism, vision, mission and above all, sincerity of purpose.”
