February 16, 2019
Press Conference
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is shocked and vehemently rejects the
sudden postponement of the February 16 Presidential election by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), few hours before the
commencement of polls.
This decision by INEC is a grand plot to give the All Progressives
Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency the space to perfect their
rigging plans, which have been resisted by Nigerians to this point.
Our party and the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have worked very
hard in readiness for the election; our members and supporters, in their
millions and generality of Nigerians that are eager to participate in
the democratic process had already moved close to their polling units in
readiness to vote and to defend their votes.
In some cases, Nigerians were already at their polling units in orderly
queue in the hope to vote out the incompetent administration of
President Muhammadu Buhari.
Countless of patriotic Nigerians and families had spent huge resources
and made exhaustive sacrifices in travelling to their various polling
areas to vote for their consensus candidate, Atiku Abubakar, only for
INEC to announce this devastating postponement.
The public space is replete with how the Buhari Presidency mounted
pressure on INEC leadership to postpone the election at the dying
minute, so as to place more burdens on voters and frustrate their
enthusiasm for the election.
Nigerians have lost trillions of naira, risked their lives on the road
and in the air as well as faced other huge loses just because President
Buhari is bent on perpetuating his inordinate quest to remain in office.
President Buhari in his desperation for power has again exhibited his
insensitivity to the sensibilities of Nigerians, particularly in his
deceitful attempt to heap blames on INEC for a plot that was hatched and
executed by his Presidency.
It is instructive to state that the reasons given for the postponement,
including the logistic challenges in the distribution of sensitive
election materials, as well as security concerns, were all the
machinations of the APC and the Buhari Presidency to create confusion
and arrive at a predetermined end, which is to rig the election.
The APC and the Buhari Presidency, having realized that they have no
chance of winning had continued to prepare the ground by inciting acts
of violence in various parts of the country, issuing threats to election
observers, using the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, to escalate a sense of insecurity, burning INEC offices to
paralyze its operations as well as using government officials to openly
mount pressure on the commission to shift the elections.
This is in addition to the compromising of government facilities and
agencies to frustrate the distribution of sensitive election materials
including results sheets in various states; the provocative substitution
of already trained INEC polling officials with APC members as well as
the deployment of security forces to simultaneously arrest PDP leaders
and supporters, particularly in Kwara, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Kano, Kaduna,
Rivers, Kogi, Bayelsa among other states in order to create a sense of
national insecurity and trigger violent resistance by the people.
APC’s new plot is to escalate series of challenges that will eventually
paralyze INEC’s operation in some states so as to stagger the election
and pave way to isolate certain critical states, after which it will use
compromised security agents to muzzle the polls in those states in
favour of President Buhari.
Our response to INEC and the Buhari Presidency is that they have only
succeeded in postponing the evil day for their candidate, President
Buhari. Nigerians will never adjust in their resolve to resist the APC
rigging plans and serve President Buhari his defeat certificate at the
polls any day, any time.
The PDP therefore stands with Nigerians at this critical moment and urge
them to stand together in the overall interest of our nation. Our party
appreciates the sacrifices and commitment made by Nigerians in the
pursuit of a new leadership in our country; we understand the pains and
distress they are passing through at this moment due to this
postponement.
Nevertheless, the PDP urges Nigerians not to despair or allow our
resilient spirit for which we are known all over the world to be
subjugated at this crucial time. We must pick up ourselves against all
odds and stand firm for the future of our dear nation.
In that regard, the PDP directs all our members and supporters to remain
calm and encourage one another at this critical time. We all must stand
together in preparation for the final push next Saturday. We must never
give up until victory is assured.
Nigerians will never surrender to President Buhari’s anti-democratic
forces that want to subjugate our people and derail our hard-earned
democracy. President Buhari should therefore perish the thought of
rigging this election or achieving a self-succession bid
The PDP calls on the international community to note what is happening
in Nigeria and hold President Buhari as well as the APC responsible
should there be any breakdown of law and order in our country.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
And
Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organization
