The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leadership has begun organizing party members to join a peaceful protest march today to express the party’s anger over alleged irregularities that tainted the presidential elections last weekend.
As a result, party leaders, including the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP governors, as well as party members, are urged to dress in black attire and gather at the Unity Fountain in Abuja before marching to the INEC national headquarters.
The PDP Campaign Organization stated in a memo signed by the director of administration on behalf of the director general, governor Aminu Tambuwual, that the memo also functions as an invitation to all party members.
It read in part: “I am directed to respectfully invite Your Excellencies: The National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, The Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governors of; Akwa Ibom and Chairman of PCC, Mr Udom Emmanuel,
Sokoto state and DG of PCC, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and governors of Bayelsa, Edo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Osun states.
”Also invited are former Senate Presidents, Senator David Mark and Senator Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, BOT members, NEC members, PDP Senators and House of Representatives Members, NWC members of the party, DDGs, Directors, Deputies and Assistant Directors of NCMC; members of the PCC; Leadership of People Living With Disabilities and all other Stakeholders to a protest march.
Recall, the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, winner of last week’s presidential contest, having secured the highest number of votes cast and met the legal requirements to be so declared.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, LP, are both challenging the declaration and return, citing substantial violations of the Electoral Act as grounds for their challenge. They’ve both approached the courts to seek redress.