PDP kicks as FG shut down Abuja venue of Atiku campaign rally

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the decision by the federal government in denying the party use of the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, to hold a mega rally in support of its presidential candidate. The party carpeted the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government for directing the shutting down of the venue for its Presidential campaign mega rally in Abuja. The PDP described the directive as an act of desperation by the APC administration, but stated that nothing can stop it from organizing a rally in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said that the PDP duly paid and secured permission to host its mega rally at the Old Parade Ground, only for officials of the facility to inform the party Friday morning that they have been ordered to shut down the venue. “Such resort to self-help further exposes the irredeemable insensitivity of the Buhari Presidency and the APC. “The overwhelming popularity of the peoples’ candidate, Atiku Abubakar, which points to an imminent crushing defeat that awaits President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 Presidential election has pushed the Buhari Presidency into a panic mode. “President Buhari has always been disheartened and jittery over spontaneous mammoth crowd of Nigerians at Atiku Abubakar’s rallies across the country, leading to the desperation to frustrate our rallies, resort to smear campaigns, vandalizing of our campaign materials and denial of venues, in APC controlled states, as was the case in Kano state recently. “President Buhari is frustrated because he has failed in governance and as such, has no message for Nigerians. President Buhari daily continues to lose followership, in millions to Atiku Abubakar for which his handlers have now resorted to renting people for his rallies, including Nigerien thugs.
“The Buhari Presidency and APC would soon realize that the more they fight Atiku Abubakar, the more Nigerians are spurred to queue behind him as the rallying point in their quest to return our nation to the path of national cohesion and economic prosperity,” Kola said. The PDP therefore charged President Buhari not to allow his handlers to further pitch him against Nigerians with this contemptible shut down of the venue of the PDP Presidential campaign rally in Abuja, as such is a direct assault on the sensibilities and aspiration of Nigerians across board.