The Abia State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, raised the alarm over an alleged plan by the Labour Party and the state government to sponsor protests aimed at intimidating members of the election petition tribunal in order to influence the outcome of its proceedings.
It called on the security agencies in the state to nip the planned protests in the bud so that the peace of Abia would not be disrupted.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the state PDP’s Vice Chairman/Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, which was forwarded to the Nigerian Tribune.
The statement read: “Abia State PDP has received reliable and accurate intelligence that the Abia State government and the Labour Party are making underground plans by mobilising a cross-section of unsuspecting Abians to embark on a protest in the coming days just to intimidate the members of the Abia Election Petition Tribunal and influence the outcome of the petition in their favour.
“Our intelligence also revealed that the group has been mobilised on the alternative to cause mayhem should the judgement of the tribunal go against the Labour Party and its candidates.
“The Abia PDP uses this medium to raise the alert levels with our vibrant and responsive security agencies in Abia State to take note of this heinous and destructive plan and advise the sponsors of the planned protest to shelve it and avoid anything that would breach the peace in Abia State.
“Abia PDP gives this forewarning because it would not fold its arms and watch anti-democratic forces intimidate the tribunal to a predetermined outcome of the petition before it.
“In the case that the security agencies do not stop this planned protest that has been hatched to favour the Labour Party and its candidates, the PDP would have no choice but to mobilise our members to counter this planned protest by the party and its agents.
“We call on the members of the PDP, the good people of Abia and all men of goodwill to remain vigilant in the coming days and avoid any protest that is meant to obstruct the delivery of justice not only in the Abia Election Petition Tribunal but justice in general.”
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