The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the advice by
the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it should learn from
former deputy senate president Ibrahim Mantu‘s claims on how he
rigged elections for the party.
The APC had on Saturday called on the PDP to follow the example
of Mr Mantu, a PDP leader, and confess to its sins against
Nigerians.
In response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola
Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday said Mr Mantu’s reported
claims are personal to him and has nothing to do with the PDP.
He said the party has never directed any of its members to rig
election on its behalf at any point since its formation.
Recall that Mantu had, in an interview on Channels Television,
revealed that he rigged elections for the PDP.
He said even when he did not rig directly, he paid election
officials and party agents to do the rigging. The former senator
said he decided to confess because he felt embarrassed by the way
Nigerians were treated outside the country.
“The PDP has never directed or had any pact with him (Mr Mantu)
to rig election on its behalf. Never,” Mr Ologbondiyan said on
Sunday.
“Individuals run their elections on the platform of political
parties once they emerge as candidates. In the PDP, candidates are
issued with the party’s Code of Conduct containing the basic rules
of electioneering engagements.
“There is nowhere in the rules of engagement where candidates or
party members are directed to rig elections on behalf of the
party.
“If any member’s conduct transgressed these basic rules of
engagement, that individual did not act on behalf of the PDP, and
as such the party cannot be vicariously held responsible.
“It will therefore be misplaced for anybody, including the APC
to surmise that Senator Mantu, in the said confession of rigging,
acted on behalf of the PDP.”
Making reference to the 2007 senatorial election which Mr Mantu
lost, the party questioned his rigging machinery, asking why he
didn’t save himself.
“After all, in 2007, Senator Mantu lost his own senatorial
election. What, then, happened to his rigging machinery, if he
could not deliver himself.”
The opposition party urged the APC to manage its “incompetence,
lack-lustre and wobbling” governance which, according to the PDP,
has grounded the nation’s economy and brought hunger and starvation
to Nigerians.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the advice by
the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it should learn from
former deputy senate president Ibrahim Mantu‘s claims on how he
rigged elections for the party.
The APC had on Saturday called on the PDP to follow the example
of Mr Mantu, a PDP leader, and confess to its sins against
Nigerians.
In response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola
Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday said Mr Mantu’s reported
claims are personal to him and has nothing to do with the PDP.
He said the party has never directed any of its members to rig
election on its behalf at any point since its formation.
Recall that Mantu had, in an interview on Channels Television,
revealed that he rigged elections for the PDP.
He said even when he did not rig directly, he paid election
officials and party agents to do the rigging. The former senator
said he decided to confess because he felt embarrassed by the way
Nigerians were treated outside the country.
“The PDP has never directed or had any pact with him (Mr Mantu)
to rig election on its behalf. Never,” Mr Ologbondiyan said on
Sunday.
“Individuals run their elections on the platform of political
parties once they emerge as candidates. In the PDP, candidates are
issued with the party’s Code of Conduct containing the basic rules
of electioneering engagements.
“There is nowhere in the rules of engagement where candidates or
party members are directed to rig elections on behalf of the
party.
“If any member’s conduct transgressed these basic rules of
engagement, that individual did not act on behalf of the PDP, and
as such the party cannot be vicariously held responsible.
“It will therefore be misplaced for anybody, including the APC
to surmise that Senator Mantu, in the said confession of rigging,
acted on behalf of the PDP.”
Making reference to the 2007 senatorial election which Mr Mantu
lost, the party questioned his rigging machinery, asking why he
didn’t save himself.
“After all, in 2007, Senator Mantu lost his own senatorial
election. What, then, happened to his rigging machinery, if he
could not deliver himself.”
The opposition party urged the APC to manage its “incompetence,
lack-lustre and wobbling” governance which, according to the PDP,
has grounded the nation’s economy and brought hunger and starvation
to Nigerians.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/senator-mantus-rigging-claims-has-nothing-to-do-with-us-pdp/