Bauchi State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Friday, announced its withdrawal from participating in the coming up Local Government Councils Elections on the 17th of August, 2024 describing it as a charade.
The announcement was made when leadership of the party addressed a press conference at the Conference Hall of the NUJ led by the State Secretary, Comrade Nasir DanBauchi.
Reading the text of the Conference, he stated, “We have been following, with keen interest, the move by the State Government to conduct local government council election, following the Supreme Court’s verdict that granted autonomy to Local Government Councils in Nigeria.
“However, we sensed that the so-called election will be more of a charade, than an election, because in all intent, and purpose, the State Independent Electoral Commission, (BASIEC), the agency with the statutory responsibility of conducting the election, will execute the bidding of the Bauchi State government to conduct a kangaroo and a discredited election.”
Nasir DanBauchi explained that this will be by alienating or baring perceived strong opposition political parties to legitimize the process and the government’s plan to impose preferred stooges as Chairmen and Councilors for the Local Government Councils.
“Very obviously, this plan is put together, to create a scenario where the government will use puppets they imposed to further deepen their heinous plunder of Local Government funds despite the Supreme Court’s verdict.
“This is indeed unconstitutional, evil, and an invitation to lawlessness and impunity which must be resisted by all and sundry. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) can confirm very authoritatively that the State Independent Electoral Commission, from day one, has sealed plans to alienate some political parties from participating in the electoral process and has already perfected the aforesaid plans.
“The State Electoral Law 2008 in Section 18 states clearly as follows: The conduct of elections in local government councils in the state shall be under the direction, organization and supervision of the Commission and in accordance with the provisions of this Law, Regulations, Guidelines, rules and Manuals issued or made by the Commission.”
He stated that the BASIEC in the purported plans for the Local Government elections, has determined a clear-cut breach of the provisions of the State Electoral Law and its own guidelines the the election.
“For instance, in the Schedule of Activities, the August 2024 regarding the conduct of the election, which the SDP sighted somewhere, ВАSIEС; of its activities in respect, clearly stated “issuance of Notice of Local Government Council Election to Political Parties and the general public as the activities of 7th June, 2004,” he added.
He however claimed that, “But regrettably, till this moment as we speak, BASIEC has not issued our party, the SDP with any notice concerning this planned Local Government election or any other document of such except the election timetable. In fact, our efforts to get the documents related to the election from BASIEC proved abortive.
“Also, our findings revealed that some selected political parties of which may perhaps participate in this very election may have been induced to partake in the contest to give the process an assumed credibility they needed.”
“Let me unequivocally say that, we, in the SDP are not participating in the so-called election, because, we sensed and saw all these irregularities coming. But as a registered political party in Nigeria, and a major critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s political process, we condemn this act in totality,” he added.
“In fact, we wish to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government, the National Assembly and all the relevant stakeholders in Nigeria’s electoral process, to expedite action in scrapping all State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC), so that a more neutral body such as INEC can be made to take over the conduct of Local Government elections at Ngara, to give the process more erafinility. This is necessary for the growth of our democracy especially at the Local Council levels.”
The SDP added that more disturbing is the fact that the BASIEC has still in the same manner on activity 10 and 11 of Schedule of Activities, given only 2 days ie 22nd-24th of July for the collection of nomination form, just 4 days, 25th – 29th of July was for the submission of completed forms respectively.
“For an election of such nature, relatively sufficient time and space ought to have been provided on important activities of the aforementioned to enable every political party and the contestants to have ample opportunities to participate in the election.”
