Rivers rerun elections: PDP condemns APC’s ‘declaration of war’

THE National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned what it said is the declaration of war by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) over Saturday’s rerun elections in Rivers State.

Reacting to pronouncements made on Thursday by APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and some governors elected under the party, during a campaign rally in Port Harcourt, the PDP regretted that they had encouraged violence at a time they should be suing for peace.

A statement issued by the National Police Publicity Secretary of the party, Dayo Adeyeye, in Abuja on Friday, described the events at the Port Harcourt rally as sad, noting that APC leaders “took turns like garrison commanders, ordering their supporters to shoot and kill any member or supporter of our party.”

It said the APC did not also spare other voters in the state “as they ordered their armies to attack them” during the Saturday election.

While it said the PDP would not take the statements lying low, it called on the law enforcements agencies to live up to their responsibilities and ensure that the elections were free and fair.

PDP added: “This open declaration of war on the people of Rivers State is only reaffirming our earlier position and fear that all the actions and ‘body language’ of the All Progressive Congress (APC) since it took over power in May, 2015 is gearing towards erasing democracy and installing full blown dictatorship in Nigeria.

“The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, addressing a very scanty crowd at the so called ‘Mega Rally’ in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday openly incited the members and supporters of his party saying “If they push you, push them back. If they slap you, slap them back. As you can see, we came in full force; the whole federal might is here”.

“As if that was not enough, the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, who is also the Chairman of the APC, Rivers State rerun Campaign Committee said,  ‘If they shoot at you, take cover and shoot them back.'”

“This is very sad and a complete reversal of all the democratic experience we have built and nurtured in Nigeria in the last 16 years. A political rally which normally should have been an opportunity to sell its Programme and manifesto was instead turned into a call for war and violence by the APC leaders.

“We will not fold our arms and allow the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its supporters destroy our hard earned democracy. We will not stop but continue to alert Nigerians and the international community to the danger the ruling party is posing to our democracy.

“We therefore call on the Nigerian Police and other relevant security agencies to be alert to their responsibilities and ensure that the elections on Saturday in Rivers State are not only free and fair but also very peaceful, orderly and without any violence.

“We again call on our members, teeming supporters and the electorate in Rivers State to remain calm in the face of these daring provocations. Dictatorship, avarice and anarchy that have characterised this APC led government since inception may last for a season but freedom and liberty will last for eternity. The APC has nothing more to offer Nigerians, hence, the resort to war and attacks on the people.”

The opposition party urged the people of Rivers State to come out en masse and vote for all the candidates of the PDP as it noted that “Rivers State is the home of the PDP and we are sure of victory in all the elections.”