The Peoples Democratic Party has said that the orderliness, transparency and credibility of its presidential primary should serve as direct lesson to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC on how elections should be conducted in the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this in a statement shortly after the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential flag-bearer of the party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday.
He said that the process through which Atiku emerged also showed that Nigerians, irrespective of their individual and group interests, are capable of holding peaceful and credible elections that meet global standards.
He said, “The success of our presidential primary followed our strict adherence to democratic rules and principles of transparency and fairness, which have eluded the nation since President Muhammadu Buhari administration assumed office. Simply put, in the PDP presidential primary, every vote counted.
“We invite the whole world to note that the PDP conducted its presidential primary and a clear winner, Atiku Abubakar, emerged, without any form of disagreements or reliance on heavy security, showing that Nigerians are peaceful, orderly and desirous of credible processes at all levels of political engagement.
“The PDP, therefore, charges INEC to stop blaming voters, accept responsibility for its failure to conduct credible elections and learn from our presidential primary as we approach the 2019 general elections.”