The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the recent elections that held in Katsina and Kano states.
In a statement signed on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said the conduct of the House of Representatives bye-election in Katsina and local government elections in Kano has shown that the APC cannot win any free and fair election.
“The fact that the APC had to recourse to brute force and allocation of ballots to gain votes in the bye-election in Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency (Katsina), which ordinarily should have been for them, a walk in the park, being President (Muhammadu) Buhari’s constituency, shows that the party has pathetically lost it all,” the PDP said.
“The resort to primitive cheating and deployment of heavily armed security forces to muscle votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s House of Representatives bye-election in Katsina State has further shown that President Muhammadu Buhari and his party have completely lost popularity among Nigerians, even in the President’s home state.
“The party also described the last Saturday’s Kano state Local Council election, which was also characterised by outright cheating, open underaged voting, and ballot stuffing, as a wholesome mockery of electoral process,” it added.
The opposition claimed that the fact that it scored 22,690 votes against the 30,719 of the APC was a prove that PDP won the election, saying it further strengthens its resolve that it commands a genuine followership among Nigerians.
The party also accused the Federal Government and the APC of corrupting the nation’s electoral system “by using force to intimidate the people and steal their votes.”
PDP further alleged that the APC was also corrupting security officials and had resorted to intimidation and violations ahead of the general elections.
It, however, informed Nigerians that it has begun to compile a comprehensive documentary evidence of infractions and irregularities allegedly perpetrated by the APC.
According to the PDP, this included: “barring of legitimate voters from accessing polling centres, assigning of polling units to APC government functionaries, indiscriminate arrests of opposition members and supporters, underaged voting and allocation of votes for APC, as well as conflict between results from the polling units and collation centres among others.”
“Also being compiled is the identity of the security and electoral officials used by the APC to subvert the will of the people, which will be made public while ensuring that they are prosecuted.
“The clear message to the APC is that the will of the people will prevail in 2019 as Nigerians will never allow the shameful impunity and suppression witnessed in Katsina and Kano during last Saturday’s election, as they will be fully rallied to resist such across board”, the party added.
The PDP further urged its members in Katsina and Kano states to remain calm as it takes decisive but legitimate steps to reclaim their mandate.
