Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, to steer clear of its strongholds, particularly the Niger Delta, saying any attempt to manipulate the process would breed widespread crisis across the country.
The party also vowed to resist alleged moves to unleash thugs on the people in the governorship polls in Akwa Ibom.
In a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said its position was predicated on the on-going heavy shipment of security forces and armed thugs into PDP strongholds, particularly, the Niger Delta, with a view to suppress voters and manipulate the March 9 electoral process for the APC.
The statement read: “Since the robbery of the PDP’s Presidential mandate, which Nigerians are determined to reclaim at the tribunal, the APC has been jittery over the escalated public support for the PDP not only to retain our states but also to ensure a sweeping victory for PDP in APC states across the country.
“As a result, the APC is desperate to unleash violence in oil rich Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, as well as Benue, Taraba, Gombe, Sokoto, Enugu, Ebonyi and Kwara, but these states and all other strongholds of the PDP, spanning across our nation, remain impregnable.
“The PDP warns that Nigerians are still livid over the rigging of the February 23 Presidential election, which was clearly won by Atiku Abubakar. As such, any further attempt to test their collective will on March 9 is capable of sparking off a huge civil restiveness across our nation.”
On the interception of some buses allegedly conveying thugs to Akwa Ibom State yesterday, the party blamed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for the development.
“Osinbajo, on Tuesday, at a town hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasted that he and Oshiomhole will ensure that the APC will never be defeated and how thugs, loaded in over 50 buses, who confessed to have been contracted by Oshiomhole, were later intercepted on their way from Edo State to Akwa-Ibom to cause mayhem during Saturday’s election.
“The PDP has full information on various secret locations in Akwa-Ibom State, including hotels and other camps, where the APC has quartered thugs ahead of Saturday’s election.
“We note that the police have refused to evacuate these thugs; but let it be known that the people of Akwa Ibom State will never allow them to operate.
“The PDP, therefore, cautions the APC as well as its compromised INEC and security officials to bear in mind that Akwa-Ibom and all Niger Delta states are incontrovertible PDP strongholds; that the APC does not have any genuine followership in these states and that anybody attempting or supporting any forcible take over of any PDP stronghold should be aware that he or she is doing so at his or her own peril.”
