The Coalition of United Political Parties has said the whole world knows who between the PDP and the APC is plotting to scuttle the 2019 general election.
– Ogunlewe, CUPP, lawmakers knock ruling party on allegation
Ndubuisi Orji and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm that some politicians are planning to buy votes and deploy other illegal means to subvert the people’s will during the forthcoming 2019 elections.
The ruling party also vowed not to return power to those it described as thieves after the 2019 general elections, warning that the fight against corruption will continue.
Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, enumerated the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration in a statement, yesterday.
READ ALSO: 2019: We won’t hand over power to thieves, says APC
“Under this administration, the scale of recoveries from corrupt elements in the past three years by the country’s anti-graft agencies is testament that the administration’s extensive anti-corruption drive is yielding results. Compared to the past, successful prosecution of many corrupt persons, the hugely-successful whistle-blowing policy and voluntary return of corruptly-acquired funds and assets have shown that it is no longer business as usual and corruption is increasingly becoming unacceptable.
“Corruption can no longer define how we do things as a country. There is a new realisation among well-meaning Nigerians that if we don’t kill corruption, it will kill us…
“Ahead of 2019, sadly, these thieves have resurfaced to canvass votes of Nigerians for various elective positions, ostensibly to resume their stealing. Nigerians are neither gullible nor stupid. They have not forgotten the yoke they bore under the corrupt People’s Democratic Party (PDP) regimes and deserve no more of it.
“Public funds that could have improved the education, healthcare sectors and provided infrastructure to develop the economic and social life of Nigerians are sadly in the pockets of these thieves.
“While we alert Nigerians to the plot of some politicians to buy votes and deploy other illegal means to subvert the people’s will during coming elections, we urge relevant agencies to be proactively involved in tracking of election financing. The same people who criminally-diverted public monies to fund their political activities as brazenly displayed during past administrations, must be prevented from doing same in coming elections. We must continue to challenge corruption and its related vices. This is line with the Change Agenda the APC promised Nigerians. This is a promise we are committed to keep,” he said.
READ ALSO: Deconstructing the change agenda
Regardless, former minister of Works, Senator Seye Ogunlewe dismissed APC’s allegations.
Ogunlewe told Daily Sun, yesterday, that the APC cannot substantiate the allegation.
“The allegation is false and can never be substantiated. What about the corrupt persons in PDP who have moved to the APC? All the people who are corrupt that defected to the APC, are they now saints? They should leave corruption out of this system. Everything in Nigeria is now about corruption. But once you defect to APC you are no longer a corrupt person.”
Similarly, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has said the whole world knows who between the PDP and the APC is plotting to scuttle the 2019 general election.
CUPP spokesman, Ugochinyere Ikenga, said: “Why would the PDP want to scuttle an election the CUPP is sure we are winning? The APC leaders have a plan; that if they are not going to win the election, then, they will make the election inconclusive.
“Why do you think the president has refused to change the service chiefs? Even the ones that their tenure have expired, he has extended. He is keeping them, with the agenda of making sure that if the result is not favourable to him. They find a way to twist it.
“The whole world knows who is trying to scuttle the election. The world knows who has refused to sign the Electoral Act so as to give them room to manipulate the election, and write results like they know how to do.”
READ ALSO: I’ll advise Buhari to sign Electoral Act – Namdas
Also, a PDP member of the House of Representatives, Timothy Golu, said the ruling party is seeking a ploy to postpone next year’s general elections, because APC leaders are afraid of losing the election.
Another member, Anayo Edwin, in his reaction, said the PDP is more concerned with the election being free and fair, more than any other thing.
He said “there is no way PDP can be planning to scuttle the election of 2019. Rather, what the PDP is praying for is that the 2019 elections are transparent. And, you know APC cannot deliver credible elections. They have been plotting how they can rig the election.”
However, Chairman, Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Chief Peter Ameh, said neither the APC nor the PDP will be allowed to scuttle next year’s elections.
“They are not the only political parties in the country. There are 91 political parties, so, why would any of the two parties be plotting to stop the election? That they are in power is just by the votes of the people. Therefore, we will not allow any plot by anyone to scuttle next year’s election. No matter what, the elections must hold.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, were unsuccessful as he neither answered calls to his mobile line nor replied his text messages.