APC planning to use tribunals to steal our little victories, PDP cries out

The Peoples Democratic Party has said the All Progressives Congress is planning to use the various election petition tribunals across the states to take away the victories recorded by the party.

The APC defeated the PDP in the. March 28 presidential election. The party also defeated the PDP in a number of states, especially the north and south western states in the April 11 governorship elections.

Rising from a meeting of the National Working Committee and governor and Senators-elect under its platform in Abuja on Tuesday, the PDP warned that the APC is “planning to use the tribunals and ‘salamic’ arrangements to truncate and subvert the freely given mandate by the people in the states and constituencies”.

The outcome of the meeting, which was contained in a communiqué read by George Sekibo, a Senator-elect from Rivers state, also said the meeting vehemently frowns at the “shameless undemocratic ways and means being displayed by the outgoing APC lawmakers in Ekiti state towards effecting an unconstitutional change in government”.

The meeting equally expressed deep concerns at what it said was the plans by the APC to make the Nigeria a one-party state using crude and underhand undemocratic practice and thus reverse the gains of the PDP-led administration.

They also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to be forthright and impartial in the handling of the various elections pending in Abia, Imo and Taraba states.

The meeting also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanly disposition towards the sustenance of democracy and peace in the country.

The PDP said it frowned at the “unprecedented level of intimidation, harassment and undue persecution of the party members since the INEC declaration of the APC candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari”.

It also congratulated all the winners on the platform of the PDP in the elections and urge them to discharge their duties and form a formidable opposition that can redirect the fortunes of the country and sustain the gains of the present democratic era led by President Jonathan.

“The meeting stressed the importance of unity, peace and harmony in the party for effectiveness in its new role and warned that it will not condone agents of APC working as fifth columnists to destabilize the leadership of the party,” the communiqué said.

PM