Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), have explained that they were yet to announce their presidential campaign councils because they were still consulting relevant stakeholders on the composition of the structures.
The opposition parties, fielding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi, dismissed claims that the delay was caused by financial constraints.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said in an interview that the party was not being held back by funding constraints but was consulting relevant stakeholders on the composition of its presidential campaign council.
Abdullahi said there was no delay in constituting the council, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not set a deadline for political parties to assemble their campaign teams.
The ADC spokesman also pointed out that the presidential election was still many months away.
‘’Can you show me the deadline set by INEC for parties to constitute their campaign councils within a given time frame?
“There is no stipulated deadline so we will announce our campaign council when we are ready. The so-called cash crunch can only be a product of the imagination of those peddling it.
“So it’s idle talk for anyone to say that the ADC can’t fund their presidential campaign. The election is six months away and nobody runs a campaign for six months. In any case what is their business with when and how the ADC runs its campaign,” he said.
Similarly, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, dismissed the allegation of financial difficulties in a separate telephone interview.
Director said the party was under no obligation to match APC’s pace in constituting its campaign council.
“We don’t owe the APC any explanation so let them face their own business,” he said, adding that there was no funding threat to the NDC campaign.
“The NDC presidential campaign is not threatened by cash crush as they are making you believe. We are going to announce our campaign council after due consultation with all stakeholders.
“Some people think they can harass and stampede others because they have stolen enough public money for the election but we are not scared or moved by their antics.
“INEC did not attach a deadline to when parties can announce their campaign councils. We are still within the confines of the Electoral Act so what is the fuss all about. We won’t be stampeded into taking any actions so will announce our presidential campaign council when we are ready,” he emphasised.