The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Borno State has announced that it will not participate in the state’s local government elections on Saturday, December 13, citing a lack of trust in the electoral authority and the exorbitant cost of expressions of interest and nomination forms.
According to a statement released on Friday by the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Amos Adziba, the decision was made at a recent State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting in Maiduguri.
Titled “Why we’re boycotting Borno LG polls,” the statement alleged that the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) did not provide opposition parties with sufficient reasons to trust the credibility and fairness of the elections.
“The leading opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State has disclosed that it won’t participate in the December 13th, 2025, local government elections in the state because of the high cost of expression of interest and nomination forms as well as lack of trust in the electoral body,” the statement read.
“The decision was reached at the party’s State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting held in Maiduguri, the state capital,” it added.
In a communique issued after the meeting, Adziba listed several reasons for the withdrawal by the party, including distrust of BOSIEC and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He said, “The BOSIEC did not give the opposition parties substantial reasons to build confidence in the credibility and fairness of the election.”
He further stated that “PDP alleged that the state electoral body is unmindful of the harsh prevailing economic challenges in the country by demanding high purchases of expression of interest and nomination forms.”
Another issue made by the party was the government’s failure to change the electoral bill to allow councilor election results to be announced at the ward level, as well as chairmanship results at local government headquarters.
“Since the state government has not amended the bill, it means that it will be business as usual for the APC to ambush other political parties with electoral frauds,” he said.
In October, the APC expressed readiness to participate in the elections. Speaking at a press conference in Maiduguri at the time, the state party chairman, Bello Ayuba, said arrangements had been concluded.
According to him, the APC party had formally notified BOSIEC of its readiness.
“We have written to the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission that our party is ready to take part in the forthcoming local government elections.
“We have communicated formally to all wards and our supporters that we will be participating in the elections,” he noted.
