Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday sought the help the support of the European Union (EU), especially in the transmission of election results in the 2023 general elections.
The PDP chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, made the request when the EU Election Observer Team led by United Nations Needs Assessment Mission led by Mr. Serge Gakwandi Kubwimana visited the party in Abuja.
According to the PDP national chairman, “observer teams like yours should not just assess but encourage democratic process.
“We think your support is important. We are happy to hear that you are interested in various forms of support not just to the country but also to civil society organizations in such a way that they will be strengthened.
“We think this will go along with some of the technical support particularly that will facilitate electronic transmission of results and other areas that we have to check election malpractices are very important to us, ” Ayu stated.
Ayu said that the PDP as a political party, “we’re very confident that if we have a free and fair elections, the PDP will sweep all as we have demonstrated that in recent times.”
He referred to the PDP electoral performances in some of the midterm elections, stressing, “we won the city of Abuja election a couple of months back. Out of so many challenges which opposition parties go through we were able to come out as the best performing party.
We won 44 counselors to the party and the party in government won only 18 counselors. We won the six local governments but we were able to sustain only three, but those three were the main local governments that constitutes the Federal Capital Territory.
“So, we did very well and including of federal constituencies in about six states. So, we’re very confident in a free and fair election. We will return to the winning ways and will be able to win several states and then next year, when we have the presidential elections, we will definitely win the presidential elections,” Ayu told the visiting EU team.
He said that the only obstacle in the way is when elections are not conducted freely and fairly.
“But as long as they are conducted free and fairly, this party is capable, is up and doing, is rebuilding, is strong, is spread all over the country and Nigerians believe in us,” he said.
Earlier, the leader of the EU team . Serge Gakwandi Kubwimana, said that they are an electoral Needs Assessment mission that is in the country in response to a request for electoral support.
He further said: “So we are here to assess the needs of the country but also of the key stakeholders that play a role in elections and also to assess the overall context, possible challenges that may affect the electoral process and how best the UN could assist the government and the various stakeholders in the lead up to those elections”
He said that they were involved in previous electoral cycles going back to 1999.
So, he explained their mission is sort of a continuum of that role.
“The mission has been dispatched by the leadership of the UN in New York. It comprises of colleagues from UNDP because in country, those are the one that turns our recommendation into actual activities and programs and the like, but you also have colleagues from the UN Office in West Africa,” the leader of the team stated.
