The main opposition political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused their ruling counterpart of All Progressives Congress (APC) of using illegal means to thwart victory in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh denounced the APC of using state security agencies to subvert the victory their rival party achieved in the governorship election for Rivers and Akwa-Ibom States.
Earlier on, APC had issued a press statement which was widely viewed as obstructing the rule of law, democracy and justice after the PDP had emerged victorious. The opposition party described APC statement that it was obstructing justice at the Rivers state governorship tribunal, as failed cheap blackmail and an infantile attempt to cover their illegality.
PDP said the APC’s reaction to the petition written to President Muhammadu Buhari by 16 PDP federal lawmakers from Rivers State showed its desperation to grab power through the back door, in a state where it was roundly rejected by the electorates.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to continue to note the various antics of the APC in its desperate scheme to corrupt the judicial process and steal the mandate freely given to the PDP by the people of Rivers state, including the use of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military to hound and intimidate INEC and judicial officers to get them to do their bidding.
“We are also aware of all the clandestine moves by the APC to capture power in Rivers and other PDP states, including Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Abia and Taraba states by all means, using such ploy. Our answer to the APC is that their antics cannot yield any results. “These states are core PDP state and no amount of propaganda, blackmail, threats and intimidation can overturn the resounding verdict of the people as expressed in the governorship elections” the statement read.
The party urged security agencies and other critical stakeholders in the electoral tribunal process in the two states to be on the alert in order to ensure the PDP did not bow down to APC’s political antics. PDP also charged its members in these states to remain vigilant and continue to use all legitimate means available within the ambits of the law to resist attempts by the APC to undermine their will as expressed at the polls.
