Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Feb 23 elections, presents a six-point demand to the Muhammadu Buhari government through the National Peace Committee led by former military dictator, Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Alhaji Abubakar, a former vice president, met with members of the National Peace Committee on Thursday, February 28, 2019.
Top on the demand was unfreezing of opposition politicians’ bank accounts.
Another major demand presented to the former military head of state and chairman of the National Peace Committee, NPC, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, and other members of the National Peace Committee, was demilitarisarion of subsequent polls.
General Abubakar led members of the committee to the home of Atiku Abubakar his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi in Abuja yesterday night.
The NPC is expected to meet President Muhammadu Buhari government with the demands.
Other demands by Atiku were:
*That accreditation of voters should take place before voting in subsequent elections.
*That there should be no deployment of the military in subsequent elections.
* That INEC should open its back end server to all participating parties.
*That there should be a release of all politicians detained illegally by FG.
NPC team included Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Bishop Kukah and Rev. Fr Atta Barkindo.
Also at the meeting were PDP leaders, including Senate President Bukola Saraki; PDP Chairman Uche Secondus and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Atiku and his team informed the group that the election of Feb 23 was the worst in 20 years since the country returned to democratic rule. and that it was marked by brazen rigging with no consideration to the will of the people.
They listed the following as issues they had with the Presidential polls:
*Deployment of the military was unconstitutional and in breach of Supreme Court judgement.
*That resultantly, a lot of malpractices between the INEC officers, the ruling party and the military took place to undermine the votes/voters of the PDP.
*That there was collaboration between INEC and FG to undermine the sanctity of the votes of the people.
*That this is the worst election in 20 years. No improvement from 2015.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Abdulsalami said his committee decided to address the disagreement, given its mission to always ensure that there is peace in the country.
“Currently now, tensions are high and we need to see how we can douse the situation. We have come to listen to the grievances from the PDP,” he said.
“We will continue shuttling to see how we can make sure that the peace is maintained.”
Asked if the committee would meet with stakeholders of the ruling party, he said, “Naturally, when you are dealing of course you need to contact all the stakeholders.”
The PDP has vowed to challenge the outcome of the election, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
