“Bayelsans, Resist Rigging By All Means Necessary”- PDP

Text Of Press Conference By The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief
Olisa Metuh, Today, Wednesday, December 2, 2015.

“Bayelsans, Resist Rigging By All Means Necessary”

Gentlemen of Press,

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after extensive investigation on the
processes and procedures laid out by INEC for the December 5, 2015
Bayelsa governorship election, we have now become fully aware that the
commission, in collaboration with security forces, intends to rig the
election as they did in October 31 Borno Senatorial bye-election.

The nation is aware of the electoral fraud in Borno state where INEC
officials and security operatives were used to swap results in favour of
the APC, a pattern that was repeated in the November 21, Kogi
governorship election.

Owing to our respect for the dead and the fact that we are in court over
the Kogi election, we refrain from making further comments on obvious
infractions by INEC and security forces in the conduct of that election.

Nevertheless, the National Working Committee of the PDP wishes to
declare to INEC and all security agencies that the people of Bayelsa
state and our members have been fully rallied in their numbers to
combat, head to head, any move by any body or group whatsoever to rig
the December 5 governorship election.

We wish to make it clear to all, especially INEC officials, both regular
and adhoc that the atmosphere in Bayelsa is already charged and that any
of them, who in any way allows himself to be used for manipulation would
be doing so at his own peril.

Bayelsans, conscious of the ugly records of brazen doctoring of votes by
INEC in favour of APC in the earlier mentioned Borno and Kogi
governorship election, are now fully determined to stop the commission
in its trail and ensure that such is not repeated in their state.

We are all aware of the marching order handed down to the new INEC
Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at his furtive meeting with the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to rig Kogi and Bayelsa
elections in favour of APC, but we wish to let the commission know that
attempting so in Bayelsa will have huge repercussions.

Prof. Yakubu and all INEC officials involved in Bayelsa election must
note the fact that the state has unique political characteristics and
its resistance level to electoral injustice and fraud comes with
dreadful costs.

INEC should not pretend to be oblivious of the political terrain and
volatile nature of Baylelsa state, especially given the recent history
of militancy and as such should hold itself responsible should there be
any breakdown of law and order in the state.

In the same vein, we are privy to the fact that some partisan security
operatives have been deployed to Bayelsa state to help rig the election,
but let it be known that no amount of force can subdue our people.

Our members and supporters in Bayelsa state are not afraid and cannot be
intimidated by guns. They will come out in their numbers to exercise
their franchise and to defend their votes fully. We therefore caution
the military and other security forces to keep to the dictates of their
constitutional role of peripheral security in elections, as any
infraction on the freedom and rights of our members and supporters will
not only be faced with stiff resistance but will also be dragged to the
international court for justice.

We want President Muhammadu Buhari to note that this country cannot
afford to aggravate an already charged environment. Any attempt to rig
the result of Bayelsa election will be a clear invitation to civil
unrest in the region, thereby further heating up the polity.

For purposes of emphasis, Bayelsa is a core PDP state and our
overwhelming support base indicates this. Therefore, anything short of
the will of the people as evidenced in a transparent process will be
vehemently resisted. The PDP insists that for a guaranteed free and fair
election, all votes must count; they must be collated and announced at
individual polling units and all security agencies and electoral
officers must play by the rule.

Expecting INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election is not an
impossibility considering the record of the PDP in ensuring credible
polls in eight elections in the last five years.

Finally, we call on all our members in Bayelsa to remain vigilant,
focused and fearless throughout this process even as we expressly direct
them to resist rigging by all means necessary.


Thank you.

Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary