After just one week into the Local Government Council elections in Bauchi, the State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has decided to withdraw from the elections due to doubts about the credibility of the process.
The party has also called for the abolition of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, BASIEC.
In a press conference held in Bauchi on Friday, party members expressed their stance on the upcoming council election.
Comrade Nasir DanBauchi, the State Secretary of the Party, alleged that BASIEC was poised to conduct a biased and discredited election in favor of the Bauchi State government’s agenda.
According to him, “SDP can confirm with confidence that BASIEC has planned to exclude certain political parties from the electoral process and has already finalized these plans.”
Nasir DanBauchi went on to claim that the strategy was aimed at sidelining or eliminating strong opposition parties to facilitate the government’s installation of preferred candidates as Chairmen and Councilors for the Local Government Councils.
He criticized this scheme as unconstitutional and unethical, inviting lawlessness and impunity that should be resisted by all.
DanBauchi highlighted Section 18 of the State Electoral Law 2008, which clearly outlines the role of the Commission in overseeing and organizing local government council elections in accordance with the law.
He pointed out that BASIEC’s approach to the upcoming Local Government elections was a clear violation of the State Electoral Law and its directives.
Regarding the election timetable, DanBauchi noted the discrepancies between BASIEC’s planned schedule and the actual communication with political parties, particularly the SDP.
The party demanded that BASIEC immediately suspend the election process and restart it to ensure fairness, equity, and a level playing field for all parties, with nomination forms priced at a maximum of N100,000.