The Sokoto State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC has resolved not to Participate in the forthcoming local government elections in the State.
The State APC Chairman, Isah Achid, stated the development while briefing Journalists at Party Secretariat in Sokoto.
Mr. Achida explained that Party position to boycotts the Elections came after wide consultation with stakeholders across the State.
He expressed party total lack of confidence in the composition of the Sokoto State Electoral Commission, SIEC by the State government.
“Our position is due to the glaring fact that they are all card carrying members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Indeed, all of them are very close cohorts of the leadership of the government in Sokoto State who are always dancing to its tunes,” Achida said.
He added that after the decision of the State government to conduct the election, the electoral Body refused to arrange for a consultative meeting with Political Parties Stakeholders for successful conduct of the exercise.
“This, they refused to do because we feel that they are working with some select political parties for their own ulterior motives.
“To our dismay however, the commission went alone and prepared their own time table, convenient to them and their paymasters, which was sent to us only for information,
“One would have expected that a just Umpire like SIEC should have invited political parties for their inputs before coming up with an election time table. This is a further indication of their lack of fairness and their unwillingness to provide a level playing ground for political parties wishing to participate in the elections,” he explained.
Achida further call on all APC members and supporters across the state, not to participate in the interest of the party and the principles of democracy.
Responding, the Secretary of the State Independent Electoral Commission Nasiru Isa, said the main reason that APC resolved to boycotts the elections was financial deficiency.
“They always look for one reason or the other to withdraw from the exercise, How much it’s going to cost the party to cater for the process,” he said.
He explained that this was the same incident that happened recently in Kano when People Democratic Party decided to withdraw from the LG Polls and Katsina States during the administration of former Governor Shehu Shema, when APC also refused to participate at the exercise.
According to him, the State Electoral Commission engaged all the political parties and APC were present.
“And there is frequent communication between the Electoral Body and the Party, we call for a second meeting and APC refused to attend,
“We are not card carry members of any Political Party in the State, we are always neutral,” he added.
The Chairman said about 16 Political Parties will participate at the forthcoming elections and assured them that the State Electoral Commission will ensure free fair and credible and hitch free exercise.
