PDP Alleges Plot to Cause Crisis in Order to Postpone Polls in Some States

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it had uncovered a plot
by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to instigate mayhem and get
elections stalemated and postponed in some strategic states of the
federation.

PDP’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan,
while addressing a press conference Saturday said that of
particular reference were the activities of APC’s governorship
candidate in Taraba State, Sani Abubakar Danladi, who has now
resorted to violence having realised that there is absolutely no
hope for him and his party in the March 2, 2019 governorship
election.

The PDP alleged that the APC candidate, who is also personally
well reputed for acts that contravene free and fair elections, had
been boasting that he had the backing of the federal government and
some godfathers in Abuja, who have no stake in the peace, unity and
development of Taraba State in the ignoble project.

According to him, “It is an incontrovertible fact, known to all,
that Taraba State is a long established stronghold of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and that Governor Darius Ishaku has the
undiluted backing of overwhelming majority of the electorate across
the state, due to his sterling performance in office.”

Ologbondiyan alleged that the PDP had full information on how
the APC is working with purported enemies of Taraba State to
trigger confusion and escalate insecurity in the state with a view
to shifting the governorship election to enable the federal
authorities and security agencies have the opportunity to
perpetrate the type of massive rigging that took place in Ekiti and
Osun states governorship elections in 2018, and award victory to
the APC.

He added that having been frustrated by the popularity of the
PDP and Governor Darius Ishaku, the APC, which it said, was stuck
with the most unpopular candidate in the election, was bent on
causing confusion and bloodletting so as to ambush and truncate the
electoral process in the state.

The PDP spokesperson said, “On Thursday, January 17, 2019, the
APC, hiding under the guise of campaign unleashed mayhem on Wukari,
a major town in Taraba State. Right from Gindin Dorowa, about 40
kilometers to Wukari City, thugs recruited by the APC governorship
candidate, went on shooting spree, destroying PDP billboards all
the way to Wukari.

“From the Wukari yam market, APC thugs continued shooting their
way into the town as if they were on a mission to conquer the town,
while destroying PDP campaign materials including billboards,
posters.

“The shooting and unbridled mayhem continued until they arrived
in the city centre and close to the Aku Uka Palace where another
political party was also holding a rally, just as they did in Karim
on December 26, 2018 during which they prevented the PDP senatorial
and House of Representatives candidates from campaigning.

“It is important to note that pandemonium broke out when, in the
course of the shooting in Wukari, a member of the PDP was killed.
At this point, a crowd in sympathy to the victim rushed to the
scene; panic took over. A vehicle carrying some APC thugs tried to
beat a retreat and in the process crashed into another vehicle and
caught fire. Other vehicles, which wanted to rush out of the scene
got trapped and were torched from the fire spreading from the
already burning vehicle.”

The main opposition party wants the APC, its governorship
candidate and their godfathers in Abuja, to note that the people of
Taraba State would not surrender their freedom and rights to the
APC.

The PDP insisted that the governorship election in Taraba and
indeed all states of the federation scheduled for March 2, 2019,
would hold on the fixed date, adding that the PDP and the people of
Taraba State would never accept any result that does not reflect
the reality already expressed by the people.

Ologbondiyan said that this was the reason why the APC
gubernatorial candidate has not signed the peace accord, which was
initiated by the Taraba State police command and the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure peaceful campaigns
and elections.

“Let it be stressed that Taraba State as a stronghold of the PDP
will never, in any way whatsoever, succumb to the machination of
the APC as the people are ready and fully alert to confront and
resist the APC and its candidate, with all the means and energy
necessary and available in the defence of their mandate which they
have freely given to the PDP,” he said.

The PDP therefore urged the National Peace Committee to note the
infractions by the APC in Taraba State and speak out in the
interest of peace, particularly given the security situation in the
North-east, especially now that Nigerians know who to hold
responsible, should there be a break down of law and order in the
state.