The Nigeria Democratic Congress has threatened to withdraw from the forthcoming Enugu State local government elections, alleging that the state electoral commission has failed to provide the party with official electoral materials.
According to The Punch, the party made the threat on Saturday following an emergency meeting of its State Executive Committee, where members protested what they described as discriminatory treatment by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission.
In a statement signed by the NDC State Secretary, Chukwujekwu Emmanuel, the party alleged that ENSIEC had withheld important electoral materials meant for its authorised representatives, a situation it said could undermine its participation in the election.
“The Executive Committee described the alleged refusal as a direct violation of the constitutional rights of the Party, insisting that no electoral management body possesses the legal authority to deny a registered political party access to materials required for participation in an election.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress warned that should ENSIEC fail to immediately release the Party’s electoral materials, it would have no option but to withdraw from participation in the forthcoming Enugu Local Government Election,” the party said.
The NDC consequently urged ENSIEC to release the materials without further delay, arguing that doing so would ensure a level playing field for all political parties participating in the election.
The party also appealed to its national leadership to consider all appropriate legal and constitutional avenues to safeguard its candidates against what it described as unlawful exclusion from the poll.
When contacted, the ENSIEC Public Relations Officer, George Okwelu, said he could not comment on the allegation and advised the reporter to visit the commission’s office.
“I would advise you come to the office. I will refer you to the secretary, Ifesi Umeobika, who is handling party matters.”
Attempts to reach the commission’s secretary, Ifesi Umeobika, were unsuccessful, as his telephone could not be reached as of the time of filing the report.
