The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, traded words on electoral violence and attacks on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a press statement accused APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu of directing his members to deploy violence and snatch power in the 2023 general elections.
“In response to this directive, APC leaders and members have now activated plots to derail the electoral process through orchestrated violent attacks in various States of the country aimed to trigger a nationwide security emergency situation, instill fear and make it appear inconducive to conduct elections in the country,” Ologunagba said.
“Part of the plot is the current attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in various parts of the country as witnessed in Ogun, Osun and Imo States where sections critical to the conduct of elections particularly those connected to the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were targeted and destroyed.
“Also, our Party has been made aware of plans by the APC to orchestrate attacks in other States particularly Kogi and Delta; some States of the South East as well as parts of the North with the view to subverting the electoral process in as many States as possible.”
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However, the Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, in a statement fired back at the PDP.
“Based on its latest press statement about having ‘credible information’ about certain individuals plotting to derail the 2023 elections, including acts of arson already perpetrated on the facilities of INEC, we therefore call on the law-enforcement agencies to, as a matter of urgency, invite the PDP leaders for immediate questioning,” Keyamo said.
“The PDP must provide information regarding: the place and time such a meeting took place and those in attendance; the identities of those who committed these acts of arson on the facilities of INEC and the information must also include the identity of those who sponsored these individuals (if any).
“We also said before and we repeat it here that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a thoroughbred democrat and one of the major architects of the democracy PDP and Nigerians enjoy today, so he should be the very last of the Presidential candidates to be accused of undemocratic conduct or underhand dealings in the electoral process.
“The PDP should not joke or play politics with grave security matters. Having ‘credible information’ as to plots and individuals relating to the attack on INEC offices currently, further plots to disrupt elections is, indeed, a matter of national security.”
