Press Statement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on security agencies to
question leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following
emerging revelations that certain APC leaders were behind the gruesome
killings and bloody violence that marred the November 16 governorship
and senatorial elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.
PDP’s demand came on the heels of shocking attempts by the APC to
dismiss nationwide calls for electoral reforms, with allusions by its
spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu, that no “amount of reform” can help
PDP’s outcry and demand for violence-free election in Nigeria.
By gloating and interpreting national and international concerns over
bloodletting and violence in our elections as PDP’s “malady”, the APC
has further confirmed apprehensions that it is the mastermind of the
horrific violence and forceful invasion of polling units to aid their
rigging plots.
Our party invites Nigerians to note that only a mastermind and
beneficiary of a crime would seek ways of dismissing, covering or
diverting attention from the crime.
By its statement, the APC has confirmed that it is indeed a soulless
mob, a marauder and murderous pillager, which has no iota of regard for
the life of Nigerians; thriving only on violence, knowing that there is
no way it can win in a free, fair and credible election.
It is now no longer strange that APC leaders have been trying every
means to frustrate investigations into the bloody brigandage the agents
of the APC unleashed in the elections, in which about 10 Nigerians were
reportedly beheaded in Bayelsa while over 22 others were felled in Kogi,
including an innocent mother, Mrs. Salome Abuh, who was burnt alive in
her home by APC agents.
It is also no longer strange that in spite of the condemnation of the
brutal murder of Mrs. Salome Abuh and calls for arrest of the culprits
by Nigerians and the international community, the perpetrators are being
shielded by the APC.
Nigerians now have more insight into why persons, who were claimed to
have been arrested by security agencies in connection with the crime,
have neither been paraded nor arraigned before any court of competent
jurisdiction.
While Nigerians are still mourning the gruesome killings of compatriots
in the two states, the APC leaders are dancing naked on the graves of
the victims by trying to divert public attention from the crime while
giving official cover to arsonist and murderers who the APC deployed to
kill voters, snatch and stuff ballot boxes.
By APC comments against genuine effort to end electoral violence in our
country, it is clear that certain APC leaders indeed need to come clean
on their roles in plotting and executing of violence in the elections.
On our part, the PDP remains a law-abiding party committed to the
wellbeing of Nigerians and will continue to support all genuine efforts
by stakeholders to end electoral violence as well as bring perpetrators
to book.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
