Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Nigerians, party members, and supporters to pray for the peace and success of the general election, which starts tomorrow.

In a statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party urged Nigerians and APC members to restrain from any act of electoral malpractice and irregularities.

He said: “We should stay safe and work collectively to ensure that the general election are free, fair, transparent and credible. Security agencies have been given the marching orders to bring the full weight of our laws to bear on anyone who perpetrates violence or electoral offence; no matter how highly placed.

“We encourage our members to come out and vote and protect the ballot. Our great party has enough support, nationwide, to win with a landslide. We must now work to ensure that the election is decided by ‘one man one vote,’ which guarantees our victory.

“We caution Nigerians and all involved in the electoral process not to be influenced by huge money the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is moving around to buy votes and compromise the system. Our future should not be mortgaged to the leaders of PDP who are using our commonwealth they stole over 16 years to seek a return to power.”

Similarly, the ruling party called on Nigerians to use their votes to send a clear message to treasury looters who want to hijack presidential power.

“The time has come for Nigerians to again reject the PDP and their discredited candidates. Never again should Nigerians allow them return to power to continue embezzling our resources…

“The world has been daily assailed by outcomes of investigations showing the humongous funds that past PDP administrations stole and laundered for private use.

“In the most inhumane manner, counter-insurgency votes where channelled to private pockets while terrorists ravaged communities, the citizenry and seized our territory. Our national economy was pushed to the verge of recession and cleverly papered over with voodoo economics employed by PDP administrations.

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“Confronted with the realities of a poorly-managed national economy and neglected infrastructure, the APC took over the administration of the country when Nigeria began slipping into recession. Commendably, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration worked prudently to pull-out the country from recession…We, therefore, call on our country men and women to choose between moving forward to the Next Level of economic growth, shared prosperity, infrastructural development, and secure future, or going backward to the era of looting and plundering of our commonwealth, which the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar offer.”

On its part, the PDP said it is confident of victory in tomorrow’s elections; owing to its acceptance by majority of Nigerians.

The party urged  President Muhammadu Buhari to be prepared to concede defeat, as Nigerians have resolved to vote him out.

The PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said since December 2018, PDP has gone round the country to market its presidential candidate, Atiku and, judging from the reception, “it is obvious that the people are fed up with president Buhari and the APC.

Secondus charged Nigerians not to be intimidated by alleged threats from  the Presidency and noted that in the run-up to the presidential poll, Buhari has allegedly be issuing threats to the electorate and the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), so as to cow them.

“I wish to thank Nigerians who overwhelmed us with their support in all the states and gave us the needed impetus to enter Saturday’s election as victory is ours already. I want to urge everybody to remain steadfast and focused; refusing to be intimidated. When the president ordered soldiers to shoot voter’s  at sight, the motive was to scare you out of the polling booth  to enable them manipulate the result but, with God on your side, they will fail.”

Similarly, the PDP National Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan insisted the PDP will sweep the polls, including in the North West; hitherto considered a strong base of the APC.

He added that all the stakeholders and factors that gave Buhari victory in 2015 are now working in favour of Atiku.

Ologbondiyan dismissed Buhari’s endorsement by a forum of 12 presidential candidates, yesterday. He described them as “political jobbers out to swindle Buhari.”