Threat to polls: Hold Buhari, APC responsible – PDP

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Nigerians to hold the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) accountable for any infraction on the coming general election. The party said recent utterances and inactions of the APC are pointer to already hatched plans of the ruling party to scuttle the poll to cover up its imminent defeat. The PDP asserted that after reviewing recent developments, particularly the desperation being exhibited by the APC and agents of the Buhari Presidency, the PDP submitted that the APC and the Buhari Presidency should be held responsible for the reported plots to scuttle the conduct of the 2019 polls. According to the party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP stance is predicated on the revelation by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mongunu that “some individuals that are not certain of their fate in the elections are plotting to precipitate widespread violence aimed at scuttling the conduct of the polls”. The PDP said “by every evidence and material facts, the political party and candidate that are not certain of their fate in the election have proven to be the APC and its Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, who have continued to exhibit acts of frustration over fear of imminent electoral loss. “We are all witnesses to the series of warnings to the Buhari Presidency, from prominent Nigerians citizens and topmost members of the international community, including the United States, United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the European Union, against actions that are inimical to the smooth conduct of the general elections. “It is instructive to note that instead of heeding this warning, the Buhari Presidency and the APC, in their arrogance and desperation, resorted to blackmailing and vilifying the international community, thereby further confirming that they are not ready for a peaceful, free and fair election. “Except the NSA is addressing facts known to Nigerians that as a result of losses already suffered by the APC on account of court judgments stopping it from participating in the elections in some states, due to its flawed primaries, some desperate leaders and members of the ruling party are making discreet arrangements to scuttle the polls. “This is in addition to APC’s frustration over the soaring popularity of the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, among Nigerians across the board, who have come to a consensus to elect him as the next President of our country, come February, 16, 2019″. The paramount desire of majority of Nigerians, according to PDP, is the successful conduct of the February 16, 2019 Presidential election. ” Nigerians are eager to go to the polls to vote out this administration that has caused them so much anguish, pain, hunger, economic deprivation, sectional acrimony and deaths and this is the reason the APC is seeking all ways to scuttle the elections”, said the party.