Connect with us

News

Learn from Buhari’s non-interference in electoral contest, APC counsels PDP

Published

on

APC-LOGO

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday called on the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to learn from non-interference of President Muhammadu Buhari in the nation’s electoral process.

The ruling party, in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, also reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of free and fair electoral process, insisting that under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari, the party has continued to deepen the nation’s democracy and improve the electioneering system.

The APC statement is in reference to a statement by President Buhari to the effect that the ruling party could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections.

Buhari stated this during a meeting with state governors from North East geo-political zone.

According Nabena in the statement on Tuesday, the Presidential declaration was a pointer that under Buhari’s administration, “the days of stolen and procured electoral mandates are fast fading.”

The party also urged the opposition PDP to learn from the patriotic adherence to the ethics of the principle of free and fair electoral process as exhibited by President Buhari during the last general election, noting that under the watch of the APC led administration, critical state institutions, such the Judiciary, INEC, security services have been operating under President’s impartiality and non-interference.

The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections is a solid pointer that under the current administration, the days of stolen and procured electoral mandates are fast fading.

Read also: PDP attacks Buhari over comment on how APC could’ve used army, police to overrun opposition

“Critical state institutions such as the Judiciary, INEC, security services have been the ultimate beneficiaries of the President’s impartiality and non-interference. We must all support the independence of our state institutions to deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system.”

The party also condemned Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki’s continual spinning of puerile conspiracies of the alleged usage of ‘federal might’ by the APC while in the contrary the PDP governorship candidate was using the state apparatus to suppress the legislative arm of government in the state, while Governor Nyesom Wike as head of the PDP campaign council threatens violence.

“Ahead of the Edo State Governorship election, the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki continually spins puerile conspiracies on the role of ‘federal might’, while using his so called “Obaseki Boys” and state apparatus under his control to harass the State House of Assembly and APC members in the state. On his part, Governor Nyesom Wike as head of the PDP campaign council threatens violence.

“While we understand the panic and distress in the camp of the PDP and Governor Obaseki following the massive and widespread support given by the Edo electorate to the APC Governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC invites the PDP to join us in issue-based campaigns and at least attempt to sell to the Edo electorate the merit of their candidate, if any.

“The APC’s people-focused development records across the country forms the basis of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s six-point ‘SIMPLE agenda’ for the good people of Edo State which stands for Security, Infrastructural development, Manpower development, Public Private Partnership, Leadership and Employment creation.

“We call on partisans, particularly the PDP to purge themselves of their age long undemocratic habits of election rigging, vote buying, violence, abuse of state institutions for political ends and address themselves to new realities that under the President Buhari-led APC administration, power now belongs to the people and during elections, votes count”, the APC said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now