A female presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Ndidi Key, has called on the leadership of the party to declare her its presidential flag bearer.
Key who also called for the conduct of a fresh election within 24 hours if she was not declared winner, made this known in a statement by her counsel, Yakubu Eleto Chambers, on Thursday, in Abuja.
The presidential aspirant said that her demand was based on the gross manipulation and illegalities occasioned at the party’s primary elections which took place across the country on June 5.
She alleged that the election was marred by manifest corrupt practices and not in compliance with the guidelines of the party.
Key said that she would not have issued the statement if the Party elders and stakeholders had handled issues appropriately internally and particularly followed the principle of internal democracy.
“We are therefore by this press statement urging the party to within the next 24hours declare Key the winner of the primary election held on June 5 without further delay or order a fresh primary election were all aspirants will be given a level playing ground.”
Key further alleged that there were overwhelming evidence including video footages to show that the elections were marred by illegalities and gross malpractices.
She alleged that the electoral irregularities were detrimental to her chances of winning being the most popular candidate and the only woman in the race.
According to the presidential hopeful, the leadership of the PRP also worked against her before and during the state primary election.
“Taraba is the state where the delegates confirmed that they were told that she had withdrawn from the race.
“They went to the extent of carrying out their anti-democratic moves by saying,hat agents were not needed in most places.
“We have video footages of the returning officers affirming the position by the National Leadership addressing the delegates on that,” she said.
Key’s counsel also alleged that while delegates list was tampered with in some states, the party’s electoral committee members were publicly canvassing for votes for Abiola and delegates threatened to vote him in some other states.
He also alleged that the primary results which were in her favour in some states were altered in favour of Kola Abiola, her opponent.
The presidential aspirant also alleged that: the purported affirmation of Abiola as a consensus candidate of the party was contrary to the Nigerian Constitution the Electoral act and laws guiding the election.
“The figures in the result sheet were tampered with in favour of Mr Kola Abiola to the unfair disadvantage of Patience Ndidi Key.
She also claimed that in Yobe, the accreditation process was completed with 38 delegates present out of which 23 votes were casted in her favour, eight votes for Bugaje and six votes for Abiola but her flawless victory was upturned.
“In furtherance of the attempt to impose the preferred aspirant, in other circumstances, the delegates were deceived to believe Key had withdrawn from the race.
“In certain places, the strategy was sheer intimidation of the delegates and agents who are recognized as Patience’s Loyalists.
“In some vicinities, there was no evidence to show that the process was conducted in line with party guidelines but results were compiled and submitted in favour of Abiola,” she said.
NAN
