There are indications that the national
leadership of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party might have perfected a
fresh strategy aimed at stalling the March 28
presidential election.
Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja on
Thursday and Friday showed that the ruling party
was actually the brain behind those who
registered Young Democratic Party and that it
may use this new party to achieve its objective.
The new party had on Thursday asked the
Independent National Electoral Commission to
postpone the forthcoming general elections.
The party said this a day after the Federal High
Court in Abuja ordered the commission to register
YDP as a political party.
At a press briefing in Abuja, the party called on
INEC to re-schedule the general elections if it
could not accommodate it on its ballot paper.
It said that contrary to insinuations, the court did
not order INEC to only register the party, but
added that the commission was ordered to issue
certificate and include YDP in the 2015 elections.
National Publicity Secretary of YDP, Mr. Ugo
Nwofor, said there were only two options available
to INEC, saying the commission could either
reprint its ballot papers and include the party with
a view to accommodate the party’s candidates or
shift the elections.
Nwafor said, “If INEC does not have the
appropriation for logistics for reprinting of its
ballot papers then INEC ought to within the
constitutional provision further re-schedule the
general election so as to accommodate our party.
“In either of the two options, our party is ready, it
has been a long journey for YDP; we wish INEC
would explore the first option.”
Shortly after the press briefing, one of the brains
behind the YDP was seen at the national
headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday
evening, where he said he had come to confer
with some of its officers.
In a confidential discussion with our
correspondent, he said he had come to brief the
party on the success of their legal work which
made the court to order that the new party be
registered.
When our correspondent called him on the
telephone on Friday whether they were planning a
fresh legal option to compel INEC to comply with
the court order, he answered in the affirmative.
According to him, “Recall that I was at the
national headquarters of the ruling party in Abuja
on Thursday where I met our partners. We are
working together to move the nation forward and
deepen our renascent democracy.
“We have already fixed the dates for our
convention and we would pick our presidential
and other candidates for the elections. We expect
INEC to give us a chance as stated in the court
order.”
However, it was learnt that one of the strategies of
the ruling party in connection with the YDP is to
head for the court and ask that the presidential
election be set aside, by pleading that the party
was excluded.
“This is what we would do if President Jonathan
loses the elections,” a source at the national
headquarters of the party added.
But if the president wins, it was gathered that the
party would not show any interest in pursuing any
case in the court.
Nwofor, however, said that the party was
interested in contesting the election, adding that
this was in compliance with Sections 85 and 87 of
the electoral Act.
“Because of this, the party has fixed its
governorship/House of Assembly and Presidential
and National Assembly primaries for March 26
and 27 respectively,” he added.
It was gathered that the party cleverly picked the
dates in order to make sure that the election
slated for March 28 does not hold or to make it
have a legal proof for exclusion.
The party was believed to have known that
submission of candidates list for elections expired
60 days to the election.
An INEC official said that the “commission and
Nigerians are aware of the provision of the law on
this.”
Nwafor, however, said that his party had
commenced the sales of nomination forms due to
the court judgement. He said, “We have approved
sales of nomination forms as follows; Presidential
(N15m), governorship (N3m), Senate (N1m),
House of Representatives (N500,000) and House
of Assembly (200,000).”
He described the Wednesday’s judgement as
victory for democracy, rule of law and triumph
over impunity.
It was however gathered that the national
leadership of the new party was waiting for the
commission to reach out to it tomorrow on the
judgement.
One of their elders, who spoke with our
correspondent, said that “we expect the
commission to reach out to us and ask us to
send the names of our presidential and other
candidates.
“In the alternative, the commission can also reach
out to us, discuss with us and we may say that
we are not fielding candidates for the Presidential
and National Assembly elections, which come up
first.
“The result of the discussion will determine what
we would do for the governorship and state
Houses of Assembly elections, which holds April
11.”
Efforts made to speak with the National Publicity
Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh on the
issue failed. He neither picked nor responded to a
text message sent to him.

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Zobo, what is YPD ? The younger armed robbers inspired by the senior robbers, they failed on nairaland when they came up with their YPDM bullshit, they have failed already with (PD) at the back of their (Y), jonathan should just save all these money and stress, cuz nothing works anymore....its either change or nothing else, no bargain, no drama, no second thought..... Its time to end Nigeria's worst nightmare (PDP).

djfaithy:
Zobo, what is YPD ? The younger armed robbers inspired by the senior robbers, they failed on nairaland when they came up with their YPDM bullshit, they have failed already with (PD) at the back of their (Y), jonathan should just save all these money and stress, cuz nothing works anymore....its either change or nothing else, no bargain, no drama, no second thought..... Its time to end Nigeria's worst nightmare (PDP).

you need to drink from the bottle of wisdom... blockhead... GEJ till you die

“We have approved
sales of nomination forms as follows; Presidential
(N15m), governorship (N3m), Senate (N1m),
House of Representatives (N500,000) and House
of Assembly (200,000).”

The window of opportunity is close. 2019 is your next chance.