By Dirisu Yakubu
ABUJA- The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has put all political and electioneering activities on hold as a mark of honour for Nigerian youths allegedly killed at the Lekki Toll Gate as well as other killings in the course of the EndSARS protests across the country.
The party had earlier on Thursday night directed that flags in all its offices nationwide be flown at half-mast in solidarity with the mood of the nation “at this trying time.”
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In a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP also said it has been notified of the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, “to postpone the pending bye-elections in 6 senatorial districts and 9 state constituencies in 11 states of the federation, earlier scheduled for October 31, due to the crisis situation in the country.”
The party further noted that “though such comes at high cost to candidates and political parties, we hold that it is a step in the right direction under the prevailing circumstance.”
It continued: “In that regard, the PDP charges INEC to continue to monitor the situation and use the period to fine-tune its preparations to conduct peaceful, free, fair and credible elections as part of the much-needed panacea for the restiveness in the country.
“Furthermore, our party urges the security agencies to also use the period to perfect their roles in electoral operations and tidy up all arrangements to guarantee the right atmosphere for peaceful and transparent polls where the safety of the voters as well as the sanctity of the ballot box are guaranteed.”
