TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to explain to Nigerians the links between it and Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), wondering what informs the main opposition party’s huge interest in his stay in office.

On Thursday, APC senators had said that they would oppose any attempt to remove Jega, alleging that the government was already making moves to send him on terminal leave next week.

But in a statement released on Saturday, Olisa Metuh, PDP spokesman, said it was curious that “the APC has continued to fabricate stories and show undue interest in Jega,” raising a lot of questions for the opposition and the INEC chairman.

“Undoubtedly, the frenzy, hysteria and spate with which the APC has been inventing stories regarding Jega’s stay in office even when nothing suggests that such was on the table, raise a lot of issues,” he said.

“We ask, is there any underlining issue or arrangement between APC and Jega, which the opposition is hell-bent to protect, informing its anxiety and apprehension towards his stay in office?

“While it is noted that the APC is a party of one week, one lie, we in the PDP look beneath the surfaces to the deeper issues propelling the lies. We therefore challenge the APC to come out clean and tell Nigerians the real reason behind their false alarms and uncontrolled nervousness regarding Jega ahead of the 2015 general election.

“Finally, we wish to remind the leadership of INEC that Nigerians are monitoring its activities and series of unfolding political events ahead of the elections, and will not accept anything less than the conduct of credible, free and fair general election come March 28 and April 11, 2015.”