PDP chieftains, supporters stage protest at INEC headquarters in Abuja

Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman, and the party’s supporters, on Monday, protested at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

PDP supporters gathered at Legacy House Maitama and began their protest March to INEC National Headquarters, Abuja.

Recall that Ayu and the PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had earlier said they lead other stalwarts and members of the party in a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Monday against the outcome of the presidential election.

INEC declared Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election and President-elect of the presidential poll held on February 25.

Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who had 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) who secured 6,101,533 votes.

But Atiku and the PDP rejected the declaration of Tinubu as the president-elect, saying the election was marred with infractions and would challenge it in court.

The opposition party, in what seems as one of the ways to challenge the result has notified its members that a protest will be staged tomorrow morning in front of INEC’s building.

In a notice by the Director of Administration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Ibrahim Bashir, the party informed its members that the protest would take off from the Legacy House in the Maitama area by 10 am.

“I am directed to respectfully invite Your Excellencies: The National Chairman, Dr Iyrochia Ayu, The Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Okowa.

“Governors of; Akwa Ibom and Chairman of PCC, Mr Udom Emmanuel, Sokoto state and DG of PCC, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Governors of Bayelsa, Edo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Osun States.

“Former Senate Presidents, Senator David Mark and Senator Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, BOT members, NEC members, PDP Senators and House of Representatives Members, NWC members of the party, DDGs, Directors, Deputies and Assistant Directors of NCMC; Members of the PCC;

“Leadership of People Living With Disabilities and all other Stakeholders to a protest march to INEC Office,” the notice read.

“Endeavour to be very punctual please,” it added.