Why We Decided To Protest At INEC Headquarters – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed the reason for today’s ‘black’ protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja (Monday).

Recall that the PDP informed its members of the planned protest in a memo signed by Ibrahim Bashir, Director of Administration, Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council.

Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s National Chairman, is set to lead the ‘black’ protest at the electoral body’s headquarters and has advised all members to dress in black uniforms.

The PDP also invited its members to join the protest, which would begin at 10 a.m. from the party’s headquarters, Legacy House in Abuja’s Maitama district.

It also invited PDP presidential running mate and Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as well as other governors elected on the party’s platform, to the protest march.

Former Senate Presidents David Mark and Bukola Saraki were also invited, as were members of the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee members, National Working Committee members, Directors, Deputy and Assistant Directors of the National Election Management Committee, Presidential Campaign Council members, and Persons Living With Disabilities.

The PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, told The Punch on Sunday that the planned protest was to express the party’s displeasure with the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

He claimed that the recently concluded election was flawed and marred by irregularities and voter disenfranchisement in some federation states, and he demanded that the election be canceled.

Abdullahi said: 

It (the protest) is to register its grievances and disenchantment following the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections.

Remember that INEC declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the recently concluded presidential election.

Tinubu received 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who received 6,101,533 votes.

Following the declaration, the PDP rejected Tinubu’s declaration as president-elect, claiming that its flagbearer had won the election.