APC convention a charade —PDP

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the national convention of “the dysfunctional” All Progressives Congress (APC) as a charade, mockery of democracy and an assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.

In a reaction to the exercise, the PDP said in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary that the open intimidation and physical assault on aspirants and delegates to the convention further “confirm the desperation by President Muhammadu Buhari’s camp to seize the APC’s presidential ticket, for which they have resorted to imposing pliable officials who had been handed the directives to muzzle other presidential aspirants in the APC ahead of the party’s presidential primary.”

The main opposition party added: “Delegates and other members of the APC were horrified when aspirants to various party offices were being threatened, harassed and in some cases, paid and handed written orders to mount the stage and announce their withdrawal for aspirants listed by President Buhari, under heavy security presence.

“Nigerians are invited to note that some of the officials preferred, particularly, the national chairman, are individuals overburdened by heavy corruption allegations, and whose expected investigation and prosecution have been traded for a presidential ticket for President Buhari.

“The world observed with shock how aspirants and delegates who dared to raise questions were manhandled by thugs and intimidated by security operatives.

“It is instructive to state that the APC convention directly reflects the confusion, intimidations, violations and descent to fascism, that have characterised governance in our nation in the last three years.

“President Buhari’s handlers are aware that due to his poor performance, clinching his party’s presidential ticket under a free, fair and credible primary is impossible, hence this resort to intimidation, coercion and escalation of official hooliganism in the APC.”

While it urged Nigerians and the international community to mark “the desperation in the president’s camp, for which they are bent at destroying our democracy, it is clear that with the character, personality and outlook of the incoming national executive of the APC, the party has been finally sunk by President Buhari and his power-hungry cabal.