Lagos, Nigeria - Under fire for not signing a Code of Conduct drawn up for political parties ahead of next month's general elections, Nigeria's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it did not sign the document because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not follow due process in preparing it. In a statement by its National Secretary, Abubakar Baraje, PDP also accused INEC of not allowing the parties to make inputs into the documents.

The Code of Conduct is meant to guide the conduct of the country's 63 parties ahead of April's polls.

It reads, among others: “Political parties and their agents shall not engage in any of the following corrupt practices - forcible occupation or invasion of a polling station, collation centre and INEC office.

“No political party or candidate shall use its power of incumbency to prevent other parties or candidates from pasting their posters or distributing their leaflets, handbills and other publicity materials in public places.'

Baraje said the PDP was not afraid 'to comply with any Code of Conduct neither is it in any way working towards sabotaging the forthcoming elections as unfairly implied by some people. We are only insisting on proper procedure to protect the interest of all political parties.”

The decision-making National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP is to meet next week to deliberate on whether or not it will sign the Code of Conduct.

Opposition parties have sharply criticised the ruling party for not signing the document, saying its action is in line with its brand of 'do-or-die' politics.

“It is in their character and that is why they are not keen on signing the document. Their do-or-die posture in approaching election matters is manifesting itself with this behaviour. The voters should note what is happening,” said the spokesman for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

Pana 10/03/2011