‘Not in our character,’ APC denies frustrating PDP over use of Abuja campaign venue

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied frustrating the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of their planned use of an Abuja venue for a presidential rally.

In a terse statement Saturday signed by APC spokesman, Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, the ruling party said that it did not deny PDP of any Abuja venue for their rally.

Read also: PDP cancels Abuja presidential rally over denial of venue by Buhari govt

“The APC does not own the Abuja venue so there is no way we could have denied them access to a place we don’t own and we don’t have control over.

“If there is any truth to what the PDP has said, it is not APC and it is not our policy,” the ruling party said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had announced that its presidential rally earlier scheduled to hold Saturday, February 9, 2019 in Abuja would no longer hold.

The party said the stand down of the rally followed alleged refusal by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government and the Buhari Presidency to grant the party access to the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja, venue of the rally.

“This is in spite of the fact that the PDP had made payments to the authorities and obtained official approval to host the mega rally at the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja,” the PDP said in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan on Friday night.

Ologbondiyan added, “The PDP invites Nigerians to document this provocative action against our party and our presidential campaign by the Buhari Presidency and the APC.

“It is also instructive to state that we had earlier scheduled our Lagos Mega Rally for the Tafawa Balewa Square on Saturday until the Buhari Presidency and the APC came up with same date forcing our campaign to opt for Abuja.

“We hope they will allow the Lagos Rally to hold on Tuesday.”

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