Buhari’s Posturing On Supplementary Election Confirms He Rigged Presidential Elections ― PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as mere
posturing the announced decision of President Muhammadu Buhari not
to intervene on behalf of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the
supplementary election scheduled in states where the gubernatorial
elections were declared inconclusive by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).

The main opposition party said the posturing confirmed that the
President rigged the recent presidential polls.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Kola Ologbondiyan,
National Publicity Secretary and Director, Media & Publicity
PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, the party maintained that
President Muhammadu Buhari’s position is not only a direct
confession that the Presidency used its overbearing influence to
rig the February 23 Presidential election, but also a fresh
subterfuge to divert public attention from APC’s rigging plots
ahead of the supplementary elections.

Recall that the Presidency has rejected criticism from members
of the ruling APC who frowned at his failure to intervene in favour
of the party in states where gubernatorial elections were declared
inconclusive.

It had noted in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Garba
Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media &
Publicity), that such party members expected the president to
interfere because past Presidents had done so in the past, vowing
that President Buhari, having sworn to defend the constitution,
would not go against it by such interference in the electoral
process.

But according to the PDP, the Presidency’s confession that APC
members are mounting pressure on President Buhari to help them to
rig the supplementary elections further confirms the Buhari
Presidency’s manipulative and rigging capacity, including
militarisation of the electoral process, instigating of violence
and alteration of results, as were freely used by the APC in the
Presidential election.

The PDP alerted Nigerians, especially those in states where the
supplementary elections have been scheduled to hold, to be wary of
the antics of the Buhari Presidency, as it has never been committed
to a free, fair and credible election.

The statement added: “Nigerians can recall that ahead of the
Presidential and National Assembly elections, President Buhari had
promised to allow for a free, fair, transparent and credible
process, only for his Presidency and party, the APC, to engage in
downright manipulations at INEC, deployment of military and thugs
to intimidate and suppress voters, as well as outright alteration
of results delivered from the polling units.

“President Buhari cannot exonerate himself of the harm inflicted
on our polity by the deployment of soldiers in the 2019 general
elections, as nobody deploys the military except the President and
Commander-in-Chief.

“Now that President Buhari, in his official capacity, has come
out to state that he will not intervene in the March 23
supplementary election; we ask, is Mr President assuring Nigerians
that any ‘soldier’ seen directly involving in the rerun election is
fake and should be treated as such?”

The PDP charged the military to note the import of the statement
by the Presidency and steer clear of the supplementary
elections.

The PDP also cautioned INEC officials to note that Nigerians are
very eager about the outcome of the governorship supplementary
elections, “given that the PDP is already leading in these states.
Nigerians are not ready to accept any results that do not reflect
the reality of our victory, which is already known to all.”

Atiku of PDP Finally File Petition against Buhari, APC
Victory

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
in the February 23 rescheduled presidential election, Atiku
Abubakar has finally filed his petition against the victory of
President Muhammadu Buhari at the poll.

Atiku and his party are challenging the election of Buhari and
the his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the grounds
of alleged massive riggings, malpractices and non compliance
substantially with the electoral laws.

In the petition filed on Monday, Atiku and the PDP are praying
that they be declared winner of the February 23 presidential
election.

In the alternative, the two petitioners prayed the Presidential
Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to nullify the poll and ordered
for a fresh election that will be conducted in lines with
provisions of the electoral laws.

The National Legal Adviser of the PDP Emmanuel Enoidem,
confirmed to journalists at the Court of Appeal, venue of the PEPT
that the petition has been filled.

Enoidem said that the PDP and its presidential candidate have
already assembled a powerful legal team, comprising 20 Senior
Advocate of Nigeria SANs and other retinue of lawyers who will
establish the fact of the petition.

He disclosed that over 400 witnesses have been assembled to
testify during the hearing of the petition.

On the order earlier granted to Atiku to inspect materials, he
said that the inspection is being carried out from the polling
units across the country.

By PRNigeria