By Aliyu DANLADI
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the European Union and other development partners to develop keen interest in events and happenings in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, made the call when he received a delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and West Africa on Wednesday in Abuja.
Secondus said that development partners should not just talk to but also persuade government to ensure that the conduct of the general elections were free, fair and credible.
He said that the PDP needed the EU and other partners of the country to advise INEC and security agencies to follow the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of elections.
“We believe that EU must be a major partner to work with other agencies in Nigeria to make sure that elections are conducted free and fair in Nigeria.
“WE are not asking for any favour than let it be credible and transparent. Also that the security agencies should play neutral role .
“For us as party and our presidential candidate and his running mate who are generating supports across the country, we are going into campaign in November, we will follow the rules and laws.’’
Secondus also urged the European Union to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the Electoral laws that were just passed by the national Assembly.
The leader of the EU delegation, Niclay Paus, said they were in Nigeria to interact with election stakeholders and to determine if the union would deploy election observers to monitor the 2019 general elections.
Paus said that the stakeholders included the INEC, PDP, APC, other political parties, Civil Society Organisations, representatives of ministries and agencies.
“This is simply to make some assessment and make recommendation on whether the EU will send Election Observation to mission for 2019 general elections,’’ he said.
