Presidential election: No peace without justice ― PDP

Angered by the perceived role of the military which it said worked for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls, especially in the South-South region, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has vowed that there can be no peace without justice.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday about the party’s meeting with the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, he said the party had made its grievances available to the committee as it requested but was determined to go to court to seek justice over the outcome of the presidential election.

According to him, it is only when injustice is addressed that there can be room for peace.

The party boss said that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, did not give any conditions to the Peace Committee other than outlining the grievances arising from the election.

He said: “When they came, they met with us and they requested us to please state our grievances.

“There was no condition. Initially, we were not to talk with them because a decision had been taken to go to court. But because of the personalities involved, we said ok, let’s just talk.

“It was no condition. There was no request of any condition. We made it clear that unless the injustices are addressed, there is no room for peace.  It is only when you address the injustice that you can now sit down for peace.

“So, whatever interpretation that was done by anybody, let it be clear to anybody that we did not give condition, they did not request for it, it was like, look, state what really happened in the election and we told them how the military took over the election and conducted the election in favour of APC and INEC collusion.”

On the decision to challenge the outcome of the election in court. Secondus explained that despite the comments of local and international observers who maintained that the exercise was substantial fair, the party has enough facts to prove its case in court.

He suggested that the observers made positive remarks about the election under duress as he noted that they had been threatened before the exercise.

The party boss added:  “We will go to court. Nobody will stop us from going to court and bring all of the facts both the international observers and some people have not seen.

“We will unearth them at the courts and I believe that justice will be done at the courts. Because if we continue to suppress injustice and go sentimental, the country will continue to pile on gun powder that will explode one day.

ALSO READ: 2019 elections: An opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s unity ― Buhari

“So many injustices have been done in this country and if we allow it and it continues to pile, nobody knows what will happen.

“So, that’s why we decided as good citizens and law-abiding and people who believe in rule of law that we will go.

“We are not going to depend on approaching the courts on the comments of observers that were threatened.

“They were threatened and so, what do you expect them to say? They have to go home with their lives. They were threatened and silenced.

“It is our responsibility as good citizens to bring this to the public and to the Nigerian people and to go to court. So, we are good to go to court.”

Meanwhile, Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and the chairman of National Peace Committee, led his members to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday to present to him the grievances of the opposition.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, he affirmed that the election had raised a lot of dust as people felt aggrieved.

While confirming his meeting with the PDP, Abubakar said the committee relayed the fears of the opposition to the president.

“Atiku presented his grievances and his observations. He did not present any conditions, he gave his complaints, which we have come to presented and discuss with Mr President to see what can be done,” the former Head of State disclosed.

He added: “The Presidential election result has raised a lot of dust and the people feel aggrieved. Yesterday, l met the PDP Presidential candidate and his party in other to ensure that this peace committee ensures that really, our concern is about Nigeria. And in other to listen to their grievances and what they think has gone wrong and we are here today to see his Excellency the President in other to relay the fears and concerns of the PDP and Mr President he listens to us and has taken note of what we have told him.”

Asked about the committee’s message for Nigerians, he said: “Well, Nigerians should please on behalf of this country and all of us, regardless, we need peace. This country is very, very important to all of us. We are not talking about self-interest, we are talking about the interest of the country. I keep saying, whenever there is violence, we are not going to see violence in Ikoyi, in the Villa and you will not find violence in the various government houses in this country. It is always the poor man that get to kill themselves and so on.

“So, please, yes, as much as we have grievances, l am glad that the PDP said they are going to court to challenge the process, l think this is the right way to go about it, and l hope and pray that we will maintain this.”