ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, accused the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to arm-twist the judiciary to use various election tribunals to subvert the will of the people and upturn democratically-elected governments in some of its controlled states.
This it described as “an invitation to anarchy and dangerous to democracy.”
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, by its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party also alerted members of the public that the APC had started hounding PDP senators-elect, threatening to use its federal influence to coax the tribunals against them if they fail to do its bidding in the ongoing politicking to select new leadership of the eighth Senate of the National Assembly.
The PDP, however, vowed to rigidly resist all the antics of the ruling party to silence the opposition at all cost.
Chief Metuh declared that the party was privy to intelligence reports showing certain clandestine moves and nocturnal meetings held in Lagos and Abuja, on how to compromise the sanctity of the electoral tribunals in their compositions and locations to suit the APC purpose.
The statement read: “We are aware that there are moves by the APC to cause the doctoring of the membership of the governorship elections tribunals in some PDP states, particularly Akwa Ibom, Abia, Rivers and Delta, with the aim to bring in friendly officers, possibly to push through their agenda against our great party.
“Also, we question the so-called security reasons adduced for the decision to relocate the Akwa Ibom State governorship, national and state assembly elections tribunals out of the state and wonder why Akwa Ibom was singled out.
“Nigerians and the international community would recall that we had earlier alerted of furtive moves by the APC to procure and compromise some stakeholders in the elections including INEC and security personnel to bear false witness and doctor electoral materials against the PDP at the tribunals.
“In the same vein, we had earlier alerted of a grounds well of plots by the APC to foist a one-party rule in our country by attempting to destabilise the PDP, take over some of our states and legislative seats, all to ensure that there is no strong opposition when they eventually assume power.
“It is apparently in line with this heinous agenda that the APC has started hounding our senators-elect with threats to use the tribunals against them if they fail to do their bidding in the parliament.
“It is worrisome that this ‘jackboot mentality’ and rape of our democracy which is averse to the spirit of the healing process is happening with the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is a direct beneficiary of the huge sacrifice the PDP made to ensure that the nation remains peaceful and stable.
“We want President Buhari to note that the plot by his party to alter the will of the people and unlawfully take over states genuinely won by the PDP is obviously an invitation to anarchy capable of truncating our hard-earned democracy as it would be stiffly resisted by the people.”
“We invite the international community and lovers of democracy worldwide to note the ugly developments and hold the APC responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the polity. The PDP wishes to restate in the strongest possible terms that we are not vanquished and will, therefore, resist these plots with all the energy and force availed by the law.
“Let it be known that there is no way we can fold our hands and watch while the mandates freely given to our governors and National Assembly members fall prey to the ravenous ambition of the APC.
“It is on this note that we once again draw the attention of the leaderships of the judiciary, INEC and security forces to the plots intended to compromise their men, drag in their institutions and pitch them against the people.
“We, therefore, charge them to protect their sanctity by closely monitoring their officials to ensure that they are not in anyways manipulated in this direction.”
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
