The opposition All Progressive Congress (APC), in Plateau State, has dismissed the allegations that the party hired thugs at the beginning of the Tribunal hearing sitting in Jos to assault Governor Caleb Muftwang.
The APC said the party which has so much faith at the Tribunal cannot in any way do that which will disrupt the process.
Spokesman of the Party, Hon. Sylvanus Namang, who spoke in a statement sent to our correspondent on Tuesday, said the drama that happened at the Tribunal were cursed by disgruntled youths who suffered employment suspension by the Governor upon resuming office.
Recall that the immediate past governor, Simon Lalong had employed some State Civil Servants at the twilight of his administration, a move Governor Muftwang felt inappropriate and placed them on suspension pending due diligence.
All recall there was a mild drama between supporters of the PDP and the APC at the resumption of hearing at the election tribunal sitting in Jos , when Governor Muftwang made his appearance at the court.
The ruling People’s Democratic Party after what transpired at the tribunal through a group issued a statement accusing the APC of sponsoring thugs to assault the Governor.
In response, the APC denied the claims alleging that it was disgruntled Civil Servants youths who were sacked or suspended by the Muftwang’s administration that booed him at the premises of the court.
“Revelations indicates that the ill-advised suspension of the recently employed youths in the State Civil Service, is one of the spark-points of the reaction against Mutfwang whom they booed at rather than assaulted as insinuated by the faceless group which wants to draw the APC into the unfortunate incident”, the Spokesman in the statement said.
According to Namang: “While it is surprising to us that the said tumultuous outbursts took place at the venue of the Tribunal”, it is utterly unacceptable for the PDP, in its usual politics of deceit and conceit, to associate such acts with the APC. What a diversionary allegation by running from pillar to post!
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“It is equally important to state that the youths who had been going to the tribunal sitting never had an inkling that the Governor of the State would on the very first day of the Tribunal’s official commencement of sitting be at the court.
“We also have it on good authority that the PDP had hired thugs and brought food and drinks to the venue to cheer up and boost the ego of their Principal who had planned to intimidate his opponents at the Tribunal with his officious presence.
Nevertheless, our findings have clearly revealed that the action of the youths who cut across political inclinations, was obviously a spontaneous reaction to the very retrogressive and vindictive policies of the Governor Mutfwang-led PDP administration which, in just three weeks, has unleashed so much pain and agony on citizens, especially the youths.
“The APC, as a law-abiding Party, would be the last to encourage or promote any acts of hooliganism aimed at desecrating the hallowed temple of justice.
“Right from the onset, we have, through a series of press statements, reiterated our support of the Tribunal as the most acceptable legal and constitutional means of resolving all electoral disputes. This is still our position. While we appeal to our teeming supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, we on our own part will not undermine the due process of law which is sacrosanct”, he said.