PDP denying me presidential form a case of ‘violence against women’ — Duke-Abiola

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A presidential aspirant, Akasoba Duke-Abiola‎, has said her being denied the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant forms ‎is “political violence against women.”

Mrs. Duke-Abiola, a founding member of the PDP, was denied the presidential expression of interest, and nomination forms.

This was declared in a statement by the executive director of the Akasoba Duke-Abiola Campaign Organisation‎, Chris Burtton.

“Against all ethics of fair play, equity and justice the said form ‘001’ was given to another aspirant (the incumbent president) at the fifty ninth second of the fifty ninth minute of the eleventh hour on the 30th of October 2014, the closing date for the sale of forms,” Mr. Burtton said.

“Even with the so-called extension of time for the sale of forms, Professor Duke-Abiola made stringent efforts to obtain her forms from the party headquarters, in early November, but was turned back,” he said.

Mr. Burtton described the act of discrimination against Mrs. Duke-Abiola and her “millions” of supporters as “a coup d’etat against Democracy by the PDP” and a “clear case of political violence against women”.

The campaign director said the denial of nomination form “is an abrogation of the constitution, a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and contrary to all international protocols and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory including the United Nations Charter.”

The statement denied reports that Mrs. Duke-Abiola had picked up the presidential nomination form, describing the reports as ‎rumour and “further from the truth”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to categorically state that Professor Akasoba Duke-Abiola has not been given her mandatory nomination form despite her best efforts to obtain same‎,” he said.
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Mrs. Duke-Abiola said she was determined to participate in the forthcoming presidential primary elections.