Tony John, Port Harcourt
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting violence and rigging ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The PDP alleged that the security agencies, particularly the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, are colluding with APC in the plot to cause crisis and disrupt the February 23 and March 9 elections.
Addressing newsmen, yesterday, at the council’s headquarters, in Port Harcourt, Director General of the PDP Campaign Council in Rivers State, Desmond Akawor, alleged that comments by some chieftains of APC and actions of the army were indications they had perfected plans to disrupt the elections, so that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can cancel Rivers polls.
Akawor expressed worries over what he described as the desperation of APC to truncate the elections in the state. He also alleged plot by security agencies to arrest and detain PDP chieftains till the elections are over.
He said: “The purpose of this press conference is to draw the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the plot of the APC to violently prevent the general election from holding in Rivers State on February 23 and March 9, 2019.
“For instance, on Friday, February 15, 24 hours to the now rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC-led Federal Government deployed military arsenal to prevent voters from getting to the local government areas of Akuku Toru, Andoni, Asari Toru, Bonny, Degema, Okrika and Opobo/Nkoro.
“On January 23, some leaders of the APC addressed a world press conference, wherein they issued a direct and specific public threat to the effect that; ‘there will be no National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State, until all the cases pending before various courts have gone to the apex court for final decisions.’
“Instead, we have started witnessing concerted efforts by the APC, INEC and the security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army and the police, to actualise both the intent and content of the dangerous agenda of the APC to truncate the electoral processes in the state, as we get closer to the election dates.”
The campaign council also condemned the statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari, where he directed police and military to be ruthless with ballot box snatchers.
In a swift reaction, spokesman of factional APC in the state, Chris Finebone, said: “The attention of our party, the APC, has been drawn to a long litany of lies placed in the public space by the Rivers State chapter of PDP, in which several outlandish falsehoods were bandied as truth.
“We can only summarise that the PDP in Rivers State is doing exactly what the Holy Bible referred to as the guilty running, when no one is pursuing.
“We, hereby, warn the PDP to desist from maligning innocent members of the APC. “We believe the Nigerian military, whom the PDP has unfortunately chosen to malign, blackmail and insult, can adequately speak for itself.
“However, we must caution the PDP that our gallant soldiers, who place their lives on the line every other day to protect us, deserve a better treatment than the PDP have chosen to embark upon.
“As a party, we shall adequately respond to the trash the PDP has put out to the public. But, may I unequivocally state that no part of that PDP text should be taken seriously, as it is mere hogwash intended to deflate attention from the evil rigging schemes of the PDP in the coming elections.”
Earlier, the headquarters of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army (NA) had vowed to be ruthless to persons who attempt to disrupt elections in the state.
Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, gave the warning, in a statement he issued in Port Harcourt.