By; ADAMA JOHN, Lokoja
A civil society organization named “United Front for Democracy” (UFD) has alleged that the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Muri Ajaka has not filed any petition against All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Ahmed UsmanMr Ododo after he has been declared winner of the election.
The “non partisan organization” expressed fear that the Social Democratic Part’s candidate might smuggle in the petition through the back door against the 21 days window allowed by the electoral laws as amended.
Addressing a press conference in Lokoja on Monday, the convener of UFD, Barrister Yetunde Olubunmi Suaubu said that the organization is speaking out due to it’s commitment of protecting democratic values and to ensure that the judiciary is not slaughtered on the slab of political desperation and corruption.
“Our organisation has credible intelligence that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is yet to file his petition against the winner of the election, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo , 22 days after the declaration of results” he lawyer alledged.
According to her, “the 21 days window elapsed at the midnight of December 3, 2023”, stressing that Section 134 of the Electoral Act is very clear as to when an electoral petition can be filed with all allegations and evidence relating to the petition front-loaded.
She pointed out that by virtue of Section 134 of the Electoral Act, the SDP and its Candidate have failed to file their petition within the period allowed by Law and should therefore be made not to waste the time of the Honourable Panel.
“Inasmuch as we would want to leave the determination of the validity of a petition filed out of time to the Honourable Panel to determine, we owe the populace a social and legal responsibility to expose a clandestine move by the SDP and its candidate to file their petition through the backdoor and backdate same to circumvent the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Depending on very credible source, the legal luminary asserted that the SDP and its candidate are still preparing their petition with the intention of filing same within the week and have it backdated so as to make it look like it was filed within the legally stipulated duration saying “this must not be allowed to happen in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness”.
She said, “the wisdom of the Electoral Act is that anyone with credible evidence should be able to put such forward within the legally stipulated period. We are however disappointed that the SDP is about to lose the opportunity to test the law with a competent petition”.
“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC)” she said, “opted to avoid the embarrassment of searching in futility for evidence by deciding not to challenge the election at the tribunal” a condition that the group prescribed for SDP and its candidate.
