Date Published: 03/11/11

Why PDP should be held accountable in the event of failure of 2011 election

The Civil Liberties Organisation frowns at the ill disposition of the People’s Democratic Party to signing the collective negotiated terms by all the political parties as the contrary stance of the PDP only amounts to clear, signs and danger for the coming April election.

The current position of noncommittal by the party only runs contrary to the growing generally accepted norms in the polity, as no amount of excuses from the party can underscore the urgent need to stop the culture of impunity in this country as exemplified in the past electoral experiences; typified by the regime of rigging, electoral violence and other malpractice.

We question why the party should be persuaded to accept a precondition for possible free and fair election in Nigeria. What will it cost the party to sign against violence, thuggery, forceful occupation, and invasion of the polling station, collation centre, and INEC office, the abuse of the power of the incumbency against other parties and candidates and the separation of the party business from government business. After all governance in Nigeria has, suffered untold negative consequences as governance has since being reduced to mere campaigns slogan without issues.

In all Nigerians must not only watch the likes of PDP but every other political party in their conduct before, during and after election and hold all the parties accountable by their action pronouncement and on the basis of their commitments and non committing to the spirit and letters of the bond.

If at the end, the PDP still refuses to sign the bond that will clearly show that they have other indented interest to arrest the fourth coming election as against their previous pronouncements and claim to promote credible election. If anything goes wrong, Nigerians should hold the pDP and his principal officials culpable.

Aluko-Daniel Steve

Executive Director

Civil Liberties Organisation

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