PDP Queries Buhari's Democratic Credentials Over Tribunal Rulings

Rivers, Akwa-Ibom: PDP Raises Rallying Cry
….Says President Buhari Not Equipped To Lead In A Democracy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raises a rallying cry to all its
members, supporters and lovers of democracy across the country to rise
up and use all lawful means to resist anti-democratic forces, now using
the judiciary and security agencies in their desperate scheme to subvert
the will of the people and destroy the nation’s democracy.

The party said though it seeks peace, it is not ready to accept the
peace of a graveyard, neither is it willing to surrender the mandate
freely given to it by the people in any part of the country,
particularly in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Abia, Taraba and other states
where it won in the last general elections.

“Let it be known, and clearly too, that no matter the strong-arming,
threats and manipulations by the APC government, the PDP is not willing
to, and will never surrender the mandate freely given to us by the
people in states where we won in the last general elections, neither are
the people of those states willing to allow sectional invaders to exert
influence on those to be in charge of their affairs” the party said in a
statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh
on Sunday.

The PDP said the desperation so far exhibited by the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led APC government in manipulating sensitive agencies of state
like the judiciary and the security to further its bid to take over the
rich states of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Delta is totally against the spirit
of democracy and peace bestowed by the PDP in conceding defeat at the
Presidential election, but instead, an affront to the people and recipe
for crisis in the polity.

The party maintained that the prejudiced rulings by the Rivers and
Akwa-Ibom states governorship elections tribunals, with their inherent
contradictions, were a direct fallout of interferences from the APC and
some elements within the office of the President of the Court of Appeal,
adding that they should be held responsible should there be any break
down of law and order in the system.

It also strongly cautioned against any interference in the Rivers and
Akwa-Ibom cases at the appeal level as well as any further intrusion in
the Abia, Taraba and Delta governorship election tribunals, which the
APC is already boasting of controlling. The PDP said such would be a
clear invitation to chaos in the land.

“In the last five months, after conceding defeat at the Presidential
elections and other polls where we lost, Nigerians are witnesses to the
fact that the PDP has remained calm and steadfast to its commitment to
providing mature, decent and civil opposition with more interest on the
peace, unity and corporate interest of our dear nation.

“However, the ruling party and the APC Federal Government in their
dictatorial inclinations are much more interested in playing crude,
selfish and sectional politics and trying to use manipulation of
judicial processes to forcefully take over states where we genuinely won
in the elections.

“Nigerians have noted APC’s definition of credible elections wherein
governorship elections in Imo, Ogun, Plateau, Lagos and Yobe are all
credible while those of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Taraba and Abia are
rigged and must by all means be annulled.

“In the light of the foregoing therefore, leaders of the PDP across the
country are now converging on a consensus not to surrender our national
destiny and fate to the whims and caprices of the sectional interests of
the Daura and Bourdillon Mafia.

“We want all to know that this party is able, willing and now ready to
call up our members and supporters to use all means within the limits
provided by the laws of the land to resist this evil plan to decimate
the PDP and opposition. The peace we seek is not that of a graveyard, it
is such as guaranteed by a well-recognized democratic system that treats
all as equals before the law, irrespective of partisan and political
affiliations.

“We hereby raise a rallying cry to all our members and supporters of PDP
nationwide, all patriotic citizens and all lovers of democracy to join
the PDP in this fight to save our nation from the hands of the lying,
deceitful and false prophets, who are bent on parading themselves as
cruel conquerors of our democracy.

“Furthermore, we request the international community to note that never
in the history of our democracy has the nation witnessed such a divisive
and anti-people government, whose actions have so polarized the polity,
and undermined national unity and cohesion, a development that spells
doom for our democracy, if not checked.

“We are therefore duty bound to counsel President Muhammadu Buhari to be
cautious of tendencies that provide avenues for the destruction of the
nation’s democracy, which he is a huge beneficiary of.

“In the same vein, we call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice
Mahmud Mohammed to note the looming danger and save the nation’s
democracy and the institution of the judiciary by immediately checking
negative actions emanating from elements operating within the office of
the President of the Court of Appeal.

“Finally, it has become necessary to remind all that this democracy was
built on the principle of the rule of law and no political party,
individual or group must be allowed to, by any means, appropriate or
attempt to appropriate the will of the people at any time and under any
guise whatsoever.”