Action Alliance to boycott presidential, NASS elections over exclusion
Action Alliance to boycott presidential, NASS elections over exclusion
By: Femi Mustapha
The Action Alliance (AA) has declared that it will boycott the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday.
National chairman of the party, Dr. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje who disclosed the party’s stand in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna on Thursday hinted that the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exclude the party from the election led to the decision.
He said despite various court judgments obtained from different courts, including the court of appeal compelling INEC to present the names of candidates, he (Omoaje) submitted, INEC failed to recognize all the candidates he submitted.
The AA national chairman said the leaders of the party from across the 36 states of the federation had met and resolved to boycott the election to protest against INEC’s flagrant disobedience to court orders.
Omoaje, who blamed the Prof Mahmood Yakub led INEC for plotting to truncate the nation’s democracy through lack of respect for the rule of law, said the actions of the INEC chairman have shown that democracy is in danger in the country.
He expressed displeasure over the decision of INEC, just as he threatened that the party will approach the Elections Petition Tribunal to challenge its exclusion from the elections.
The AA boss noted that the scenario played out by INEC was unprecedented in the history of election in the country and expressed worry about why INEC could allow it to be bought by unscrupulous politicians.
He said the party would use all legal means to challenge INEC decision, just as he warned the electoral body against acts capable of undermining the rights of the masses and truncating the hard earned democracy.
Also, he called on members of the party and their loyalists not to participate in the Saturday’s election in the interest of fairness and justice, expressing optimism that the party will triumph at the election petition tribunal.
