Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja and Ben Dunno, Warri
Ahead of the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to defend its votes in the Niger Delta region.
It cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to steer clear of all its strongholds, particularly, the South-south zone to avert a crisis in the country.
Similarly, first republic minister and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark warned against military interference in the polls.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, said the warning is predicated on alleged heavy deployment of security forces and armed thugs into the Niger Delta region, with a view to suppressing voters and manipulating the polls.
The opposition party also admonished Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to forget about alleged plans to use thugs to muscle the Akwa Ibom governorship and House of Assembly elections.
It stated that the people of the state have been fully rallied for a firm resistance during the election.
“Since the robbery of the PDP’s presidential mandate, which Nigerians are determined to reclaim at the tribunal, the APC has been jittery over the escalated public support for the PDP not only to retain our states, but also to ensure a sweeping victory for PDP in APC (controlled )states across the country.
“As a result, the APC is desperate to unleash violence in oil rich Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, as well as Benue, Taraba, Gombe, Sokoto, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kwara, but these states and all other strongholds of the PDP, spanning across our nation, remain impregnable.
“The PDP warns that Nigerians are still livid over the rigging of the February 23 Presidential election, which was clearly won by Atiku Abubakar. As such, any further attempt to test their collective will on March 9 is capable of sparking off a huge civil restiveness across our nation.
“The PDP has full information on various secret locations in Akwa Ibom State, including hotels and other camps, where the APC has quartered thugs ahead of Saturday’s election.
“We note that the police have refused to evacuate these thugs; but let it be known that the people of Akwa Ibom State will never allow them to operate.”
The party added that it is obvious that the APC did not have any genuine followership in the South-south and any of the other states it is allegedly pushing to take over.
Meanwhile, Ijaw national leader, Chief Clark, has cautioned the Federal Government to play down military presence in order not to be misinterpreted as being desperate to suppress the will of the people.
Chief Clark, who spoke on the state of the nation and 2019 general elections, described intimidating military presence on election day as an aberration.
While condemning some incidences that played out in the last elections in which the military were allegedly used to harass and intimidate electorate in some states, especially in the region, he noted that such action undermined the principle of free, fair and credible elections.
“First, let me express my concern and deepest condemnation in the strongest possible terms on the reported violence and killings that characterised the presidential and National Assembly elections held on Saturday, February 23, 2019, in parts of the country, particularly in Rivers, Bayelsa, Lagos and Delta States.
“The gory tales of violence at Okrika in Okrika LGA, Opobo in Opobo LGA, Bonny Island in Bonny LGA, particularly killings in Abonnema, Asari-Toru LGA of Rivers State, the mindless electoral violence recorded in such places as Bassambiri, in Nembe LGA, Brass in Brass LGA, Agbere in Sagbama LGA and various parts of Southern Ijaw LGA, in Bayelsa State, is quite worrisome.
“As we prepare for the next round of elections for the governorship and Houses of Assembly scheduled for Saturday, March 9, 2019, I appeal to every politician to play by the rules and eschew action(s) capable of igniting violence and brigandage.
“It is rather very appalling to hear desperate politicians who do not enjoy popularity in their respective constituencies reportedly sponsoring some of these violence and killings.
“There have been cases and reports of the military who intimidate every available person on their way to connive and cajole INEC officials to perpetuate electoral fraud resulting in violence and deaths.”
He called for a full scale inquiry to bring those immediately and remotely connected with the dastardly acts, irrespective of their status in the society, under the full weight of the law.
“I caution that Nigeria is a country governed by laws. No person is permitted to take laws into his hands by resorting to violence and killings in the name of elections,” he declared.