DON'T CAMPAIGN FOR JONATHAN WITH YOUR LOGO: PDP TELLS APGA

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to desist from using the logos of the APGA to campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term presidential election.

Also, the party has asked the Inspector General of Police (IG), Sulieman Abba to compel the party to stop the fraudulent campaign strategy of APGA, where it prints the President’s campaign posters with the APGA flags and logo.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the State Chairman of PDP in Anambra State, Chief Ken Emeakayi also complained about the rally expected to hold tomorow  in Awka, the State capital tagged, “APGA Jonathan, Jonathan APGA Rally”, arguing that it is against the Electoral Act as two political parties don't field a candidate for elections.

According to the PDP state chairman, “You cannot campaign for any political party with the logo and pictures of another political party’s candidate. This is fraud. If you want to support President Jonathan, do it, but not to print the President’s picture with the logo of another political party.”

Emeakayi said the billboards that litter the streets of Awka and the tomorrow rally are all deceptions as the President is not a member of the APGA, explaining that what is happening is against the Electoral Law 2010 (as amended).

He explained that, “the action of APGA by campaigning and printing the billboards of President Jonathan by using the APGA colours and Logo is against section 37 of the Electoral Act. This is capable of nullifying the electoral chances of the President as a PDP candidate in the 2015 presidential elections.

“This is intentional knowing fully well that President Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo are not members of APGA, yet APGA as a political party is printing Jonathan’s posters and billboards on the logo and colour of APGA.

“By the action of APGA National Chairman hoisting and distributing Jonathan’s pictures and with his own pictures under the APGA logo is fraudulent and deceptive as it would confuse Nigerians and make them think that President Jonathan would be contesting the 2015 presidential elections on the platform of APGA as a political party”, he stated.

According to the Anambra State PDP chairman, the most annoying part of it is the Saturday August 30 rally tagged: “Join Jonathan Journey” with the inscription “Jonathan, APGA, APGA Jonathan,” with the pictures of the President, the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh and Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra State, under the APGA colours and logo.

On why he dragged the Inspector General of Police to court, he said, “we want him to be alive to his duty by stopping this fraud by APGA as two political parties cannot sponsor a candidate. It is either you are a member of PDP or you join the PDP, as there is nothing as a joint candidate in the operating 2010 Electoral Act as contained in the letters of section 37.

Section 37 of the 2010 Electoral Act states that it is only a political party that sponsors candidates and not two political parties.