The Presidential Campaign Organisation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria says the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), is not qualified to contest in the presidential election of February 14.
The Director of Media for the organisation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, told reporters in Abuja on Saturday that the inability of the candidate to present his credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contravenes the provision of the Nigerian Constitution.
Mr Fani-Kayode said that the INEC erred in law by publishing the name of a candidate without receiving the particulars of the candidate within seven days of receiving his nomination forms as stipulated by law.
“It has been brought to our attention that the INEC, either by omission or commission, may be engaged in acts that do not in every material particular,support the advancement of democracy the rule of law and strict adherence to the letters in the spirit of electoral laws in Nigeria.
“The inability of the All Progressives Congress’ General Muhammadu Buhari, to present even the minimum requirement of just a leaving school certificate, questions his credentials for pursuing the position of the president of Nigeria.
“From what INEC has published, Buhari has not submitted any personal particulars of his leaving school certificate for the 2015 elections,” he said.
Since the presidential campaign of the PDP began, Mr Fani-Kayode had on several occasions referred to the candidate of the APC, insisting that he was part of the issues that the PDP would be talking about in the campaign that many had urged the parties to focus more on issues rather than their oppositions.
On Wednesday, a day after the organisation was inaugurated, he said that the campaign organisation would also highlight the sterling performance of the party’s candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We shall not indulge in the type of cheap propaganda, mud-slinging and deceit that the APC and their Presidential candidate have been indulging in over the last few weeks and months but it is our full intention to expose General Muhammadu Buhari for what he really is, what he stands for and the great danger that his candidacy portends for the unity of the Nigerian state and the peace and well-being of the Nigerian people,” he said.
The Director said the organisation would run a clean campaign that is based on facts, figures and issues insisting that Buhari was one of such issues.
“More importantly, we shall let the world know about the sterling performance of our candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, over the last four years and we shall make a strong case and appeal to the Nigerian people to grant him the privilege and opportunity to serve a second term. We believe that we have reached a crossroads in our nation’s history and that the forthcoming Presidential Election is a battle for the very soul and destiny of Nigeria,” he said.
