John Alechenu and Olusola Fabiyi
Ahead of the Saturday’s supplementary governorship election in Bayelsa State, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has literally declared war, saying that members of the party were free to unleash their anger on anyone trying to manipulate the election.
It urged its members to use all means necessary in a democracy to resist any move by any one, including the All Progressives Congress, to rig the election.
The party said it was aware of alleged plots by the APC to use security operatives and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission to attempt to produce fictitious votes and declare itself the winner.
It however vowed that any such bid would be greeted with resistance and dire consequences.
The PDP leadership in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, early on Tuesday claimed that Southern Ijaw “is a well-known PDP stronghold” and that it would never accept any results that failed to reflect the will of the people.
Metuh issued the statement before he was arrested by some officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged corruption.
He said in the statement, “We issue this statement as a direct notice to the APC and their compromised INEC, military and other security operatives who have been stationed to ostensibly assist to produce fictitious votes with which the APC intends to declare itself winner.
“Let it be known to all that the PDP is fully mobilised for Saturday’s supplementary election.
“Our members across Southern Ijaw have been stationed in every polling unit, every collation centre and every exit and entry point in the area, and have been directed to use all means available in a democracy to stop the APC in their trail.
“Southern Ijaw Local Government is a well-known stronghold of the PDP and we will not, in any way, accept anything short of a free, fair and credible election, abundantly reflecting the will of the people.
“Anything to the contrary will attract terrible consequences. We restate our resolve that never again will the PDP allow itself to be manipulated out in any election at any level, no matter the level of intimidation by the APC-led administration.”
Metuh said his party had lost confidence in INEC and security agencies in the country, saying members of the party in the region should closely monitor the activities of the commission and its officials.
But the National Secretary of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, said the APC was worried by the latest and familiar antics of the PDP which it accused of beating “war drums” ahead of the Saturday’s governorship supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government.
Buni said the APC was aware of PDP’s ploy to intimidate eligible voters, INEC officials and security operatives deployed to ensure a peaceful, free and credible supplementary election in the state on Saturday.
He said, “While the APC prays for a peaceful, free and credible supplementary election on Saturday, security agencies must be on high alert over the dangerous threats by the PDP to cause a breakdown of law and order in Bayelsa State on Saturday.
“Already, the PDP leadership, through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, has issued instructions to the PDP members and supporters to “go ahead to use all means necessary” in Saturday’s supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw come Saturday.
“This is among other dangerous threats by the PDP warning of ‘terrible consequences’ to INEC officials and security operatives.”
The party’s scribe said history might not repeat itself but it rhymed. He noted that it was clear that the PDP was still suffering from a hangover of its old ways of doing things.
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