By John Alechenu

Abuja—The leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has started mobilizing  party faithful to commence a peaceful protest march today to register the party’s displeasure over alleged irregularities which marred last weekend’s presidential polls. 

Accordingly, party leaders, including the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP governors as well as party members are requested to be dressed in black attires and gather at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, to march to the national headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

In a memo signed by the Director of Administration of the PDP Campaign Organization on behalf of the Director General, Governor Aminu Tambuwual, the party said the memo, sighted by Vanguard yesterday, also serves as an invitation to all party members.

It read in part: “I am directed to respectfully invite Your Excellencies: The National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, The Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governors of; Akwa Ibom and Chairman of PCC, Mr Udom Emmanuel, 

Sokoto state and DG of PCC, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and governors of Bayelsa, Edo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Osun states.

”Also invited are 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. 

Recall, the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, winner of last week’s presidential contest, having secured the highest number of votes cast and met the legal requirements to be so declared. 

However, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, LP, are both challenging the declaration and return, citing substantial violations of the Electoral Act as grounds for their challenge. They’ve both approached the courts to seek redress.