PDP berates Buhari, INEC over election violence, rigging in Kogi, Bayelsa, murder of Women Leader

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday berated President Muhammadu Buhari, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police over the violence and irregularities that marred the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa and Kogi states. PDP condemned the President and the institutions of election administration in Nigeria for permitting space for violence by APC thugs to kill PDP Woman Leader, Acheju Abuh, and other innocent citizens on the election day.

The PDP in a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary, declared that the violent rigging of the Kogi and Bayelsa State governorship elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot stand.

The NWC maintained that there is no way the PDP will fold its hands and watch the mandates clearly given to its candidates, Engr. Musa Wada in Kogi State, and Senator Douye Diri in Bayelsa State, “be left in the hands of repressive usurpers, manipulators and murderers.”

The PDP decried: “Indeed, the nation is still at shock over the brazen show of violence, where security forces coordinated the invasion of polling units, shooting and killing of voters and carting away of ballot boxes to government facilities where results were altered and fictitious figures given to INEC to declare the APC candidates as winners.”

The Party remarked: “Nigerians watched with horror as APC thugs and security forces traumatized and held voters hostage, murdered our compatriots, injured and maimed many more in violent attacks that involved the deployment of police helicopters.

“Our party has been made aware of the roles played by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, as well as the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in the elections.

“While we urge these officials to do some introspection on the anguish they have caused the people since the rigging of the elections, the PDP NWC assures that it will never hesitate to expose such ignoble roles at the appropriate time.”

The PDP argued that the irreversible fact remains that though evil may appear to thrive for a while, truth and justice will always prevail at the end.

The PDP admonished that the APC and its candidates must bear in mind that what they could not get through the ballot box, they cannot get by violence, manipulation and killing.

The Party declared: “the PDP is, therefore, undeterred in the determination to use all legitimate means available and allowed within our democratic practice to confront the usurpers and retrieved our mandate in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

“The PDP will also file legitimate actions against identified INEC and security officials who aided the APC in the violent rigging of the election.”

The NWC, therefore, urged all PDP members as well as all Nigerians of good faith to remain strong, united and undeterred as the NWC commenced lawful actions in the pursuit of the party’s mandates.

“Our party once again, mourns our compatriots killed by the APC in this election, including our Woman Leader, Acheju Abuh, who was burnt to death by APC thugs at her home on Monday.

“While invoking the wrath of God on the perpetrators of the gruesome killings, the party calls on the Police to immediately track down and bring their killers to book.

“Indeed, their death will never be in vain as the mandates for which they were killed will surely be recovered,” PDP declared.